New DLR escalators open ready for Olympic Games

Date: 12/9/2011

Work continues apace to prepare the public transport network in the UK capital for the Olympic Games next year.

As part of these improvements, last Friday (September 9th) saw the opening of two new escalators at Custom House Station on the Docklands Light Railway, Transport for London (TfL) notes.

Carrying 200 people every minute, the moving stairs are set to prove useful at times when the train hub is at maximum capacity - such as during the Olympics, Paralympics and major events at the ExCel Centre.

The escalators began to be fitted in February and were ready a month ahead of schedule. They each feature 77 steps and cost £2.7 million in total to complete, with the Olympic Delivery Authority contributing £600,000.

In addition to serving travellers during the Games, Chief Operations Officer for TfL's London Rail Howard Smith said: "The station also directly serves the busy ExCel centre - the venue for many trade shows throughout the year - and when Crossrail is built the legacy of the new escalators will be to provide an efficient interchange with the new railway."

Crossrail is a high-speed train service currently under construction, which will run through London from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east.

Posted by Mary Treen