A medium-capacity system ( MCS ), also known as light rapid transit or light metro , is a rail transport system with a capacity greater than light rail , but less than typical heavy-rail rapid transit . MCS trains are usually 1 to 4 cars. Most medium-capacity rail systems are automated or use light-rail type vehicles.
72-584: The Docklands Light Railway ( DLR ) is an automated light metro system primarily serving the redeveloped Docklands area of London and providing a direct connection between London's two major financial districts, Canary Wharf and the City of London . First opened on 31 August 1987, the DLR has been extended multiple times, giving a total route length of 38 km (24 miles). Lines now reach north to Stratford , south to Lewisham , west to Tower Gateway and Bank in
144-469: A nonprofit organisation , also categorises several public transport systems as "light metro". The main reason to build a light metro instead of a regular metro is to reduce costs, mainly because this system employs shorter vehicles and shorter stations. Light metros may operate faster than heavy-rail rapid transit systems due to shorter dwell times at stations, and the faster acceleration and deceleration of lighter trains. For example, express trains on
216-522: A "minitram" people-mover system capable of carrying up to 20 people in each unit should be constructed to connect the Docklands with the planned Fleet line tube railway terminus at Fenchurch Street railway station . The Greater London Council formed a Docklands Joint Committee with the Boroughs of Greenwich , Lewisham , Newham , Southwark and Tower Hamlets in 1974 to undertake the redevelopment of
288-595: A cost of £200 million funded mostly by the private sector as a Private finance initiative . It left the Island Gardens route south of the Crossharbour turn-back sidings, and dropped gently to Mudchute , where a street-level station replaced the high-level one on the former London & Blackwall Railway viaduct. The line then entered a tunnel, following the route of the viaduct to a shallow subsurface station at Island Gardens , accessible by stairs or
360-457: A door fails to remain shut. Cutty Sark station is underground, and both costs and the risk to nearby historic buildings prevent platform extension. The tunnel has an emergency walkway. Additional work beyond that needed to take the three-car trains was also carried out at some stations. This included replacing canopies with more substantial ones along the full platform length. A new South Quay station has been built 200 m (660 ft) east of
432-572: A feasibility study into extending the system under the River Thames . This led the council to advocate an extension via Greenwich and Deptford , terminating at Lewisham railway station . The ambitions of the operators were supported by politicians in Parliament, including the future Labour Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott , and Lord Whitty ; and by 1996 construction work had begun. The Lewisham extension opened on 20 November 1999, at
504-523: A flat triangular junction near Poplar . Services ran from Tower Gateway to Island Gardens and from Stratford to Island Gardens; the north side of the junction was used only for access to the Poplar depot . The stations were mostly of a common design and constructed from standard components. A common feature was a short half-cylindrical glazed blue canopy. All stations were above ground and were generally unstaffed. All stations featured lifts and level access into
576-532: A heavy-capacity transport system, such as an airport or a main route of a metro network. The definition of a medium-capacity system varies due to its non- standardisation . Inconsistencies in international definitions are even reflected within individual countries. For example, the Taiwan Ministry of Transportation and Communications states that each MCS system can board around 6,000 to 20,000 passengers per hour per direction (p/h/d or PPHPD), while
648-525: A lift. It crossed under the Thames to Cutty Sark in the centre of Greenwich, and surfaced at Greenwich railway station , with cross-platform interchange between the northbound track and the London-bound main line . The line snaked on a concrete viaduct to Deptford Bridge , before descending to Elverson Road at street level, close to Lewisham town centre, terminating in two platforms between and below
720-520: A section of single track rail) can only achieve lesser headways (e.g. every 15 minutes) which result in lower passenger volume capacities, and thus would be more accurately defined as "light metro" or "medium-capacity" systems as a result. An example is the LA Metro B/D line during the COVID-19 pandemic, as headways were reduced to every 12-20 minutes on each line. In addition to MCS, light metro
792-403: A small wayside station to a large one with six platforms serving three tracks and a large overall roof, fully integrated into the malls below the office towers. The east of Docklands needed better transport connections to encourage development, and a fourth branch, towards Beckton , was planned, with several route options available. A route from Poplar via Canning Town and the north side of
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#1732772318038864-519: A total length of 12.1 km (7.5 miles). It was mainly elevated on disused railway viaducts or new concrete viaducts, and adopted disused surface railway formations between Poplar and Stratford. The trains were fully automated, controlled by computer, and had no driver; a Passenger Service Agent (PSA) on each train, originally referred to as a "Train Captain", was responsible for patrolling the train, checking tickets, making announcements and controlling
936-478: A tunnel, which opened in 1991 at a cost of £295 million. This extension left Tower Gateway on a stub. The original trains were not suitable for underground usage due to not meeting the fire safety laws for underground trains. They were operated for a time on the above-ground sections only, and were later sold . As the Canary Wharf office complex grew, Canary Wharf DLR station was redeveloped from
1008-466: A variety of central London destinations. However, it quickly became apparent that there was no capacity on the existing network for integrating the DLR into the Underground. Two southern terminus options were put forward, at Cubitt Town (today's Island Gardens station ) and Tiller Road, on the west side of Millwall Dock , with two possible routes to reach them. A "western" route would have run from
1080-492: Is a common alternative word in European countries, India, and South Korea. In some countries, however, light metro systems are conflated with light rail . In South Korea, light rail is used as the translation for the original Korean term, "경전철" – its literal translation is "light metro", but it actually means "Any railway transit other than heavy rail, which has capacity between heavy rail and bus transit". For example,
1152-476: Is indicated. An MCS may also result when a rapid transit service fails to achieve the requisite ridership due to network inadequacies (e.g. single-tracking ) or changing demographics. In contrast with light rail systems, an MCS runs on a fully grade separated exclusive right-of-way . In some cases, the distance between stations is much longer than typically found on heavy rail networks. An MCS may also be suitable for branch line connections to another mode of
1224-473: The ExCeL exhibition centre , although this is not supported by any additional turnback infrastructure. Trains serve every station on the route, but trains from Bank to Lewisham do not call at West India Quay because they are routed along the diveunder track to avoid junction conflicts. When required, such as during engineering works or for special events, other routes may be operated, such as Beckton to Lewisham if
1296-700: The Isle of Dogs , North Greenwich and Custom House to Woolwich Arsenal . This was intended to be the second stage of the Fleet line – which had been renamed the Jubilee line , the first stage of which opened in 1979 from Stanmore to Charing Cross . This would have cost around £325 million. However, when the Thatcher Government came to power, the plans to extend the Jubilee line were halted and
1368-647: The Kelana Jaya , Ampang and Sri Petaling lines as "light rail transit" systems; when originally opened, the original Malay abbreviations for the lines, PUTRA-LRT ( Projek Usahasama Transit Ringan Automatik /Automatic Light Transit Joint Venture Project) and STAR-LRT ( Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan /Light Flow Transit System) did not clearly distinguish between light rail and light rapid transit. Some articles in India also refer to some "light metro"-type systems as "light rail". The Light Rail Transit Association (LRTA),
1440-752: The New York City Subway are about as fast as the Vancouver SkyTrain , but these express trains skip most stops on lines where they operate. Medium-capacity systems have restricted growth capacities as ridership increases. For example, it is difficult to extend station platforms once a system is in operation, especially for underground railway systems, since this work must be done without interfering with traffic. Some railway systems, like Hong Kong and Wuhan, may make advance provisions for longer platforms, for example, so that they will be able to accommodate trains with more, or longer cars, in
1512-504: The North London Line from Canning Town to Stratford, links the Docklands area with domestic high-speed services on High Speed 1 . It was an important part of transport improvements for the 2012 Olympic Games , much of which were held on a site adjoining Stratford International. The first contract for construction work was awarded on 10 January 2007 and construction started in mid-2007. Originally scheduled to open in mid-2010,
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#17327723180381584-510: The U Line in Uijeongbu utilises VAL system, a variant of medium-capacity rail transport, and is therefore categorised "light metro" by LRTA and others, though the operator itself and South Korean sources refer to the U Line as "light rail". Busan–Gimhae Light Rail Transit is also akin to a light metro in its appearance and features, thought the operator refers it as a "light rail". Likewise, Malaysian officials and media commonly refer to
1656-579: The VAL system used on the Taipei Metro , is sometimes recommended, due to its low running noise , as well as the ability to climb steeper grades and turn tighter curves, thus allowing more flexible alignments. Fully heavy rail or metro systems generally have train headways of 10 minutes or better during peak hours. Some systems that qualify as heavy rail/metro in every other way (e.g. are fully grade separated ), but which have network inadequacies (e.g.
1728-532: The Westferry station alongside West Ferry Road via Cuba Street, then either terminating at Tiller Road or continuing over Millwall Docks Cut to a terminus at Cubitt Town. The "central" option required the West India Docks to be infilled or bridged and would run down the middle of the peninsula, through what was at the time an area of derelict warehouses. Ultimately this latter option was chosen, though
1800-475: The same name , and between Fenchurch Street and the DLR's western termini of Tower Gateway and Bank. Between Limehouse and Tower Gateway, the DLR runs parallel to the London, Tilbury and Southend line . [REDACTED] The following services are operated in normal off-peak service from 26 September 2022: At peak times, these same services run, but with the frequency increased by 25 per cent. Additionally, in
1872-655: The 1970s, the government and the Greater London Council (GLC) put forward various plans to redevelop the Docklands area. The area was thought to have great potential for redevelopment, located close to the City of London with historic warehouses and large areas of water. In 1972, the London Docklands Study team commissioned Travis Morgan & Partners to propose redevelopment of the area. In 1973, they proposed, among other recommendations, that
1944-524: The 1981 London Transport report warned that without extensive development around Canary Wharf the area would be "very isolated with poor traffic prospects" – as indeed it was, for a number of years. The northern terminus was proposed at Mile End , with options including street running down Burdett Road towards Limehouse or along the Mile End Road to turn south before using an old railway alignment to reach Poplar. A final report – prepared by
2016-452: The Bank and Tower Gateway branch is closed. The new rolling stock to be introduced from 2024 onwards will support service improvements. Most stations are elevated , with others at street level, in cutting or underground. Access to the platforms is mostly by staircase and lift, with escalators at some stations. From the outset the system has been fully accessible to wheelchairs; much attention
2088-434: The City of London financial district, and east to Beckton , London City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal . An extension to Thamesmead is currently being proposed. Normal operations are automated, so there is minimal staffing on the 149 trains (which have no driving cabs) and at major interchange stations; the four below-ground stations are staffed, to comply with health and safety regulations for underground stations. The DLR
2160-759: The GLC, LDDC, government departments and London Transport – was published in June 1982, proposing a north–south route from Mile End to the Isle of Dogs, and an east–west route linking the Isle of Dogs to the City of London. Even during the development of the line, proposals for future extensions were being envisaged and investigated. Following the publishing of the report, the Departments of the Environment and Transport agreed to provide £77 million towards construction of
2232-500: The Jubilee line to the area was now estimated to be around £450 million. The core of the route ran alongside the Great Eastern line out of London and south along the former London & Blackwall Railway line through the Isle of Dogs. Three terminus options were proposed at the west end, at Tower Hill, Minories and Aldgate East . The Tower Hill option would have required a low-level interchange to be constructed alongside
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2304-517: The North Kent main line, close to the stop on the Elizabeth line to Abbey Wood via West India and Royal Docks, met by Private Finance Initiative funding. Construction began in June 2005, the same month that the contracts were finalised, and the tunnels were completed on 23 July 2007, and formally opened by Boris Johnson , Mayor of London on 12 January 2009. Following completion, the project
2376-578: The Royal Docks complex was chosen, and opened in March 1994 at a cost of £280 million. Initially it was thought the line was likely to be underutilised, due to the sparse development in the area and for this reason two additional stations at Thames Wharf (not to be confused with the later Thames Wharf proposal on the Woolwich branch) and Connaught were omitted. As part of this extension, one side of
2448-683: The Taiwan Department of Rapid Transit Systems (TCG) suggests an MCS has a capability of boarding around 20,000 to 30,000 p/h/d, and a report from the World Bank places the capacity of an MCS at 15,000 to 30,000 p/h/d. For comparison, ridership capacity of more than 30,000 p/h/d has been quoted as the standard for metro or "heavy rail" standards rapid transit systems, while light rail systems have passenger capacity volumes of around 10,000 to 12,000 p/h/d or 12,000 to 18,000 p/h/d. VAL (Véhicule Automatique Léger) systems are categorised in
2520-427: The area. A light railway system was envisaged, terminating either at Tower Hill tube station or at nearby Fenchurch Street, but both options were seen as too expensive. Nonetheless, in 1976 another report proposed a conventional tube railway for the area and London Transport obtained Parliamentary powers to build a line from Charing Cross station to Fenchurch Street, Surrey Docks (now Surrey Quays railway station ),
2592-514: The doors. PSAs could take control of the train in circumstances including equipment failure and emergencies. A total of eleven units supplied by Linke-Hofmann-Busch comprised the first generation of the Docklands Light Railway rolling stock . The system was lightweight, with stations designed for trains of only a single articulated vehicle. The three branches totalled 13 km (8.1 miles), had 15 stations, and were connected by
2664-533: The existing Underground station, but this would have been a very costly venture. The Minories option, a high-level station virtually on the site of the old Minories railway station , was selected and became the current Tower Gateway DLR terminus. Aldgate East would have been perhaps the most ambitious of all of the options, as it originally envisaged a low-level connection with the District line that would have allowed DLR trains to run on London Underground tracks to
2736-488: The extension, with a deadline of 1987. The funding agreement also included conditions to maximise the use of modern technology, and that no ongoing subsidy would be available from government. Initially, the system was planned to be manually operated and having some stretches of street running. During the Parliamentary process, the northern terminus of the line was changed to Stratford , as part of efforts to segregate
2808-462: The former location as nearby curves precluded lengthening. Mudchute now has a third platform. For this upgrade DLR purchased an additional 31 cars compatible with existing rolling stock. The works were originally planned as three phases: Bank-Lewisham, Poplar-Stratford, and the Beckton branch. The original £200 million contract was awarded on 3 May 2007. Work started in 2007 and Bank-Lewisham
2880-733: The future. Taipei Metro , for example, constructed extra space for two extra cars in all its Wenhu Line stations. The following is the list of currently-operating MCSs which are categorised as light metros by the Light Rail Transit Association (LRTA) as of March 2018 , unless otherwise indicated. The list does not include, for example, monorails and urban maglev , despite most of them also being "medium-capacity rail system". Bombardier Innovia Metro 300 Trains: 4-car configuration AMPANG AND SRI PETALING LINES: CRRC Zhuzhou LRV Trains: 6-car configuration SHAH ALAM LINE: 3-car CRRC Light Rail vehicles The following
2952-456: The line from road and other railway traffic, as the LDDC were pushing for the line to use a "high tech automated system". In 1984, the contract for the initial system was awarded to a GEC / John Mowlem joint venture, which proposed fully automated operation using light rail vehicles . The two Acts of Parliament that authorised the line to be built were passed in 1984 and 1985. Construction of
Docklands Light Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3024-451: The line opened on 31 August 2011. On 11 November 2015 the Mayor of London announced that all stations on this line would be rezoned from zone 3 to zone 2/3. New stations were Canning Town , Star Lane , West Ham , Abbey Road , Stratford High Street and Stratford International . Of these, Canning Town, West Ham and Stratford are former North London Line stations, and Stratford High Street
3096-529: The longer trains when required. In addition to the three-car station extensions, partly funded from the 2012 Olympics budget, a line was opened from Canning Town to Stratford and Stratford International railway station along the former North London Line of the national railway system, with additional stations. It parallels the London Underground Jubilee line for much of its length. The extension to Stratford International , taking over
3168-450: The main-line platforms at Lewisham railway station, with buses stopping outside the station. The extension quickly proved profitable. An extension to London City Airport from the existing Beckton branch was explored in the mid-90s, at first via travelator from Royal Albert , and then in 1998 via a proposed lift-bridge over the dock with an intermediate station at West Silvertown. The government initially supported this proposal, and in 1999
3240-466: The medium-capacity rail systems because their manufacturer defines their passenger capacities as being up to 30,000 p/h/d. In Hong Kong , MTR 's Ma On Shan line could, in some contexts, are classified as a medium-capacity system (as it used shorter 4-car SP1950 trains, compared to 7- to 12-car trains on other heavy rail lines) but can attain up to 32,000 p/h/d which is comparable to the passenger capacity of some full metro transit networks. However, it
3312-488: The morning peak, alternate Stratford – Canary Wharf services extend to Lewisham. At terminal stations, trains reverse direction in the platforms, except at Bank where there is a reversing headshunt in the tunnel beyond the station. During service disruption or planned engineering work, trains can also turn back at Crossharbour and Mudchute . There is also capability for an additional shuttle from Canning Town to Prince Regent when exhibitions are in progress at
3384-460: The national railway network via the London and Blackwall Railway (L&BR), which was closed in 1966 for lack of traffic. From the mid-1960s, the docks gradually closed down - leading to major job losses and economic deprivation. In the 1970s, the opening of new deep water Tilbury container docks located further east in Essex exacerbated the issue, with the Royal Docks closing in 1981. Throughout
3456-400: The nearby Tower Hill tube station or Fenchurch Street railway station . The criticism arose partly because the system usage was higher than expected. Plans were developed, before the system opened, to extend it to Bank in the west and Beckton in the east. Stations and trains were extended to two-unit length, and the system was expanded into the heart of the City of London to Bank through
3528-575: The network has expanded since its launch. In the financial year 2023/24, there were 98.9 million passenger journeys. In the 18th and 19th century, new docks were built east of the City of London to cater for the rapidly growing city. The last of these docks opened in 1921 in the Royal Docks . From the early 1960s, the docks began to decline as cargo was containerised and mechanised. The older docks did not have space to expand, and could not handle larger vessels. The docks had been connected to
3600-526: The new government insisted that a lower-cost option should be pursued. In July 1981, the government established the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) to coordinate the redevelopment of the Docklands. The need to provide a cheap public transport solution led to it commissioning London Transport to evaluate a number of exclusively light rail options, using trams or tram like vehicles. The cost of extending
3672-576: The north, Beckton and Woolwich Arsenal in the east, and Central London in the west, splitting to Bank and Tower Gateway . The northern, southern and south-eastern branches terminate at the National Rail stations at Stratford, Stratford International, Lewisham and Woolwich Arsenal. Other interchanges with National Rail are at Limehouse , Greenwich and West Ham , while out-of-station interchanges for Oyster card holders are available between Shadwell DLR station and Windrush line 's station of
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#17327723180383744-493: The northern end of the station. The old platforms (formerly 1 and 2) adjacent to the Jubilee line were rebuilt for the DLR, renumbered 16 (towards Stratford International) and 17 (towards Beckton/Woolwich Arsenal). Interchange between the Stratford International branch and DLR trains via Poplar is possible although the platforms are widely separated and at different levels. There is no physical connection between
3816-498: The original flat triangular junction was replaced by a grade-separated junction west of Poplar. Poplar was rebuilt to give cross-platform interchange between the Stratford and Beckton lines, with a new grade-separated junction built east of the station at the divergence of the Stratford and Beckton lines. As part of the extension, a new, larger, depot was built at Beckton . Early on, Lewisham London Borough Council commissioned
3888-409: The original, distinctive rounded roof design. Stations are unstaffed, except the underground stations at Bank , Stratford International and Woolwich Arsenal for safety reasons, a few of the busier interchange stations, Canning Town , West Ham , and City Airport, which has a ticket office for passengers unfamiliar with the system. Canning Town, Custom House and Prince Regent are normally staffed on
3960-418: The platform whenever there is a significant exhibition at the ExCeL exhibition centre. Medium-capacity rail system Since ridership determines the scale of a rapid transit system, statistical modeling allows planners to size the rail system for the needs of the area. When the predicted ridership falls between the service requirements of a light rail and heavy rail or metro system, an MCS project
4032-532: The same technology as the full-capacity rapid transit lines. Generally speaking, medium capacity designation is created from relative lower capacity and/or train configuration comparisons to other heavy rail systems in the same area. For example, the train in an MCS may have a shorter configuration than the standard metro system, usually three (though, in some cases, just two) to six traincars , allowing for shorter platforms to be built and used. Rather than using steel wheels, rubber-tyred metro technology, such as
4104-506: The system began shortly after in 1985, with the joint venture careful to minimise costs in light of the £77 million budget. Two thirds of the route was built on underused or disused railway infrastructure, and station architecture used a kit-of-parts approach to save money. The railway was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 30 July 1987, and passenger services began on 31 August. The initial system comprised two routes, from Tower Gateway and Stratford to Island Gardens , with
4176-545: The system, between Bow Church and Stratford . The opportunity was taken to double the track in three stages, to improve capacity. There was originally no provision for works beyond the realigned section in the Crossrail Act . The DLR has 38 km (24 miles) of tracks, with 45 stations. The three lines shown on the TfL DLR map have six branches: to Lewisham in the south, Stratford and Stratford International in
4248-473: The three-car upgrade work and the 'diveunder' (sometimes referred to as a flyunder but DLR have coined the term in this instance 'diveunder'), and the improved timetable came into use on 24 August 2009. With the development of the eastern Docklands as part of the Thames Gateway initiative and London's staging of the 2012 Summer Olympics , several extensions and enhancements were undertaken. Capacity
4320-417: The train from platforms, catering for disabled people, people with small children and elderly people. The initial system had a relatively low capacity, but the Docklands area very quickly developed into a major financial centre and employment zone, increasing traffic. In particular Tower Gateway, at the edge of the City of London, attracted criticism for its poor connections, as it did not connect directly with
4392-456: The two branches. One of the tunnel portals for Elizabeth line is on the original site of Pudding Mill Lane station . As a consequence, work was carried out to divert the DLR between City Mill River and the River Lea onto a new viaduct further south. This included a replacement station, which opened on 28 April 2014. The former station stood on the only significant section of single track on
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#17327723180384464-526: Was aided by a five-year programme of investment for public transport across London that was unveiled by Mayor of London Ken Livingstone on 12 October 2004. On 2 December 2005, an eastward branch along the approximate route of the former Eastern Counties and Thames Junction Railway on the southern side of the Royal Docks complex opened from Canning Town to King George V via London City Airport . A further extension from King George V to Woolwich Arsenal opened on 10 January 2009, providing interchange with
4536-537: Was built on the site of Stratford Market railway station. From Canning Town to Stratford the extension runs parallel to the Jubilee line of the London Underground . As well as providing interchange with the adjacent Jubilee line stations, there are additional DLR stations at Star Lane, Abbey Road and Stratford High Street. At Stratford new platforms were built for the North London Line at
4608-656: Was built to the full heavy rail standard as it was designed to be extended. Full-length, 8-car trains were deployed on the line in advance of its extension and the line was extended into the Tuen Ma line in June 2021. Two other lines, the Disneyland Resort line shuttle service to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort since 2005 and the South Island line since December 2016, are also classified as MCS because of their shorter trains and smaller capacity, however they use
4680-472: Was developed to the route known today with a further extension to King George V. At this time, the further route to Woolwich Arsenal was developed with an intermediate station at Woolwich Reach, but was viewed as a longer-term aspiration. The Woolwich Reach station (on the south bank of the Thames, at the site of the Marlborough Road ventilation and escape shaft), was descoped in 2000. The extension
4752-432: Was increased by upgrading for trains with three cars, each with four doors per side. The alternative of more frequent trains was rejected as the signalling changes needed would have cost no less than upgrading to longer trains and with fewer benefits. The railway had been built for single-car operation, and the upgrade required both strengthening viaducts to take heavier trains and lengthening many platforms. The extra capacity
4824-527: Was necessary at the Delta Junction north of West India Quay . It was decided to include this in a plan for further grade separation to eliminate the conflict between services to Stratford and from Bank. A new timetable was introduced, with improved frequencies at peak hours. The new grade-separated route from Bank to Canary Wharf is used throughout the day, bypassing West India Quay station until mid-evening. Work on this project proceeded concurrently with
4896-414: Was originally due to be completed in 2009. However, the work programme for the first two phases was merged and the infrastructure work was completed by the end of January 2010. The Lewisham-Bank route now runs three-car trains exclusively. They started running on the Beckton branch on 9 May 2011. Stratford to Lewisham and Bank to Woolwich Arsenal services sometimes operate as three-car trains; other routes run
4968-410: Was paid to quick and effective accessibility for all passengers. The station platforms match the floor height of the cars, giving level access for passengers with wheelchairs or pushchairs. Most stations are of a modular design dating back to the initial system, extended and improved with two side platforms, each with separate access from the street, and platform canopies, although few examples remain of
5040-462: Was shortlisted for the 2009 Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award. The original Tower Gateway station was closed in mid-2008 for complete reconstruction. The two terminal tracks either side of a narrow island platform were replaced by a single track between two platforms, one for arriving passengers and the other for departing ( Spanish solution ). It reopened on 2 March 2009. As part of an upgrade to allow three-car trains, strengthening work
5112-475: Was the first major railway infrastructure project in Britain where access for disabled people was considered, with level access into the train from platforms and lifts at all stations. The DLR is operated and maintained by franchisee KeolisAmey Docklands (a joint venture of transport company Keolis and infrastructure support provider Amey ) for Transport for London (TfL). Passenger numbers have increased as
5184-400: Was useful for the 2012 Summer Olympics , which increased the use of London's transport network. The main contractor for the expansion and alteration works was Taylor Woodrow . Elverson Road, Royal Albert, Gallions Reach and Cutty Sark have not been extended for three-car trains; such extension may be impossible in some cases. Selective door operation is used, with emergency walkways in case
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