Docklands Light Railway struggles as new train delays continue
The Docklands Light Railway network in London is continuing to struggle as falling passenger numbers have been seen as delays continue with new train’s entering service.
The latest Transport for London Board Meeting report shows passenger numbers lower than last year and forecasted levels.
Since April 2024 passenger numbers are at 82 million and 3.5m less than predicted in 2024/25, which is also 1.3m fewer journeys than last year (a 1.6 per cent fall).
Docklands Light Railway recovery
Docklands Light Railway passenger numbers initially bounced back well after 2020 and even put in a good performance once the Elizabeth line begun. But then new train problems hit.
Walk-through, air conditioned trains are now a year late with introduction originally scheduled before April 2024. Signalling problems encountered during testing and an issue with a train overshooting a stopping point mean no new trains are yet running with regular closures during weekends has impacted many parts of the network.
Certain Fridays have also seen reduced services.
Old stock
With ongoing delays older stock dating back to the 1990s has lingered in service longer than expected with some now looking long in tooth.
A number of routes have seen shorter trains while older stock is kept going before final withdrawal.
This is all costing Transport for London in more ways than one. Not only is fare revenue lost during line closures for testing but an unappealing service is hardly encouraging people to travel.
To top it off delays mean completed trains need somewhere to stay – and TfL are having to pay to store stock in Spain where new CAF-built are constructed.
As for any detailed plans on when the new trains should start taking passengers the latest Board meeting report offers little but a copy and paste of previous predictions of “before the end of 2025”.
Don’t expect to enjoy nice air-con carriages on the network this summer – which won’t help those ridership numbers.
Are the new DLR B23 trains still stuck in Spain and haven’t been delivered to the UK by rail and via the Channel Tunnel. I wonder why that CAF are still experiencing issues with the new trains.
Since they built and manufactured the Class 195, Class 196, Class 197, Class 331 and Class 397 Civity for Northern, Transpennine Express and Transport for Wales. And the LNER Class 897 that is schedule to be built and to enter service in 2026/27 to replace the Class 90 Mk4 Intercity 225 stocks.
TFL useless as per usual. The once pretty decent DLR is now unreliable and subject to constant weekend closures. I have changed my commute route from Greenwich to Waterloo via Bank to via Cannon St. More reliable and quicker.
Nobody touches in or out. I’m fed up being tailgated at Woolwich Arsenal. There is no way TfL can have reliable records of how many people use the DLR.
At some of the new B23 Stock trains are now in service on Stratford International-Woolwich Arsenal & Beckton via Canning Town. More of the new B23 Stock trains will enter service on Stratford-Lewisham & Canary Wharf, Bank/Tower Gateway-Lewisham & Canary Wharf.
And Bank/Tower Gateway-Woolwich Arsenal & Beckton from next year onwards. And with plans to extend the DLR to Thamesmead.