Docklands Light Railway Franchise Agreement
The first franchise was awarded to Serco Docklands Limited[76] for seven years; Operations began in April 1997. [77] A management buyout backed by Serco`s management then sold its shares to Serco. A two-year extension was granted in 2002. DLR began operations in 1987 with 11 trains serving 15 stations and carrying 6.7 million people in its first year of operation. Today, the railway – which is completely continuous – has 45 stations, 40 km of track and 149 wagons and carried a record 101.5 million passengers in 2013/14. The system was lightweight, with stations designed for trains with a single articulated vehicle. The three branches were a total of 13 kilometers (8 miles) long, had 15 stations, and were connected by a flat triangular intersection near Poplar. Services ranged from Tower Gateway to Island Gardens and from Stratford to Island Gardens; the north side of the intersection was only used for access to the Poplar depot. [3] [13] [18] Stations were generally designed and built from standard components.
A common feature was a short semi-cylindrical glass blue awning. All stations were located above ground and were generally unmanned. Docklands Light Railway Limited PO Box 154, Castor Lane, Poplar Attn: Ke Tran E14 0DX London UNITED KINGDOM Phone: +44 2073639755 E-mail: dlr.refranchise@tfl.gov.uk Fax: +44 2073639708 KAD operates DLR, the UK`s busiest tram, on behalf of TfL since 7 December 2014, with priority objectives focused on excellence in all areas of activity, including operations, customer service and engineering. The new franchise will focus on increasing services and implementing a number of service improvements to improve passenger travel. Although this is not confirmed, it is likely that the Charing Cross project would use the overcrowded tunnels between the Charing Cross Jubilee platforms and just west of Aldwych. These tunnels were to be integrated into the abandoned Phase 2 of the Fleet Line (Phase 1 became the original Jubilee Line, before the extension of the Jubilee Line). [120] However, they should be extended because the gauge of the DLR track is greater than the gauge of the tubes and the current safety regulations would require an emergency bridge in the tunnel. [121] The lewisham extension opened on November 20, 1999. [28] He left the Island Gardens road south of the Crossharbour sidings and fell gently on Mudchute, where a street-level station replaced the high-altitude station on the former London & Blackwall Railway viaduct. The line then entered a tunnel and followed the viaduct route to a shallow underground station at Island Gardens, accessible by stairs or elevator. It crossed under the Thames to Cutty Sark in central Greenwich and appeared at Greenwich Station, with the platform passage between the track heading north and the main line to London. The line winded along a concrete viaduct to Deptford Bridge before descending to Elverson Road at street level near Lewisham city centre and ending with two platforms between and below the main platforms of Lewisham station, with buses stopping outside the station.
The expansion quickly proved profitable. [29] The docks immediately east of central London began to sink in the early 1960s when the cargo was containerized. [7] They had been connected to the national rail network via the London and Blackwall Railway (L&BR), which was closed in 1966 due to lack of traffic. [8] The opening of the Tilbury container docks further east in Essex eventually made them redundant, and in 1980 the government took control of the now abandoned area. In addition to the three-part extensions of the station, which were partly funded by the 2012 Olympic budget, a line from Canning Town to Stratford and Stratford International Station was opened along the former North London line of the national rail network with additional stations. It runs parallel to the Jubilee line of the London Underground for much of its length. The original system had a relatively small capacity, but the Docklands very quickly became a major financial centre and employment area that increased traffic. In particular, the tower`s walkway on the edge of the City of London was criticised for its poor connectivity, as it was not directly connected to the nearby De Tower Hill tube station or Fenchurch Street station.
The criticism was made, among other things, because the use of the system was higher than expected. [19] Prior to the opening of the network, plans were made to extend it to Bank to the west and Beckton to the east. [20] Stations and trains were extended to a length of two units, and the system was extended to Bank by a tunnel opened in 1991 in the heart of the City of London. [21] This expansion left Tower Gateway on a heel. The original trains were not suitable for metro use because they did not meet fire safety laws for metros. [17] They were only temporarily operated on the air sections and later sold. As early as 1972, consideration was given to how the condemned Docklands could be rehabilitated. Travis Morgan & Partners was commissioned by the London Docklands research team to investigate the matter. They proposed, among other things, to build a “minitram” shuttle system that can carry up to 20 people in each unit to connect the Docklands to the planned underground terminus of the fleet line at Fenchurch Street station. Greater London Council formed a Docklands Joint Committee in 1974 with the boroughs of Greenwich, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets to carry out the redevelopment of the area. A light rail transit system was considered, ending at Tower Hill tube station or near Fenchurch Street, but both options were deemed too expensive. Nevertheless, another report proposed a conventional tube for the area in 1976, and London Transport received parliamentary approval to build a cross station charing line at Fenchurch Street, Surrey Docks (now Surrey Quays Station), isle of dogs, North Greenwich and The Custom House at Woolwich Arsenal.
This was to be the second leg of the Fleet Line – which had been renamed the Jubilee Line, the first stage of which opened in 1979 from Stanmore to Charing Cross. .
