Yesterday, Wednesday 8th February, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and London's Transport Commissioner, Andy Lord, visited the Docklands Light Railway's (DLR) Beckton Depot where they were shown the first of 54 new, state-of-the-art trains that will be running on the railway from next year.
The 54 new trains are being designed and built by Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A (CAF), which was awarded the contract in 2019 after Transport for London (TfL) went through a comprehensive procurement process based on deliverability, technical expertise and value for money. All trains are expected to be in service by 2026.
As well as increasing the capacity of each train by 10 per cent, the new trains feature the latest audio and visual real-time travel information, air conditioning, and mobile device charging points. They also have better facilities for that who are mobility impaired, with three dedicated wheelchair spaces and three multi-use areas that can accommodate pushchairs, bicycles, and luggage.
Some of the oldest rolling stock is over 30 years old, and 33 of the new trains will replace those nearing the end of their design life, whilst the rest will provide additional capacity. Eleven of the extra trains have been funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities after Transport for London secured funding from the Government's Housing Infrastructure Fund. The B2007 trains that were introduced in 2007 will remain in service.
Before entering service, the new trains will undergo rigorous testing that will initially take place during overnight engineering hours and some planned closures. Later this year, trains will operate test runs during the day in gaps between normal services.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am delighted to be here at Beckton depot today to see the first of our brand new DLR trains that will provide Londoners with more frequent, reliable and comfortable journeys from 2024.
“The DLR is a vital transport option for parts of our city, contributing to making the capital a more accessible place to live, work and visit as well as supporting new jobs and homes. With over 90 million journeys made each year, it is currently the busiest light railway in the UK and its modernisation forms a key part of my vision to make London a greener, fairer and more prosperous city for all.”
Andy Lord, London's Transport Commissioner, said: “These new state-of-the-art DLR trains will transform journeys for our customers and help support future growth in east London, which benefits the UK's economy as a whole. The trains will now go through testing ahead of introduction in 2024 to ensure they provide the reliability both we and our customers expect. I look forward to seeing these across the network and helping contribute to the DLR's continuing success.”
Richard Garner, CAF UK Director, said: “CAF is proud to be supporting the modernisation of the DLR as part of the Mayor of London's Transport Strategy.
“Our new driverless trains have an interior which brings a modern, spacious feel, allowing passengers to see and walk the full length of the train. The additional capacity will enhance the overall comfort and journey experience.”
Richard Graham, Managing Director of KeolisAmey Docklands, said: “KeolisAmey Docklands are pleased to be working with TfL to commence the testing the new trains on the DLR network.
“These trains will provide improvements to customers' journeys and deliver great benefits for our communities in east London. We look forward to bringing the first of these new DLR trains into service in 2024.”
Lack of seats. Not good for the ambulatory but disabled who cannot stand on moving vehicles like myself.
I find it strange that a lot of new rolling stock seems to be designed for crush loading with very few or no transverse seats. Having said that, the DLR has always been way ahead in terms of technology having always used driverless trains.
The sooner other metro trains in the capital switch to driverless trains, the better, though there must always be a member of staff on trains to deal with emergency situations, just like the DLR.
Prefer the old colours, otherwise good.