Work on a number of improvements will soon to Surrey Quays station on the Docklands Light Railway will soon be in progress after Transport for London (TfL) confirmed that it has appointed Morgan Sindall Infrastructure as the main contractor for the work.

Among the planned improvements are:

• a second station entrance to ease congestion and improve customer journeys;
• better accessibility with step-free access at the station for the first time;
• easier and more direct access to new housing development and the Surrey Quays shopping centre;

The second station entrance will be built on the north side of Lower Road. It will provide more direct access to a nearby new development and the existing shopping centre at Canada Water, and ease congestion at the existing entrance located on the south side of Lower Road. The new entrance will have a new spacious ticket hall and a new gateline that is expected to be used by 60 per cent of customers using the station.

A new footbridge will provide relief to the existing narrow staircases that become congested at peak times, whilst accessibility will be improved with two new lifts that will provide step-free access to both platforms for the first time.

Enabling work for the improvements is expected to start this summer 2023 with the main work expected to start by the end of this year and be completed by the end of 2026.

The improvements at Surrey Quays station are part of a wider programme of improvements along this London Overground route that will enable the development of 14,000 new homes and is being funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities as part of its Housing Infrastructure Programme. British Land, the developer of the Canada Water Masterplan Development, has also made a contribution.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am pleased that plans to transform Surrey Quays Station and provide, for the first time, step-free access are progressing.

“All Londoners deserve to feel comfortable and confident when moving around our great city and improving accessibility on the transport system is a crucial part of my work to build a better London for everyone.

“Since I became Mayor we have seen around a 20 per cent increase in step-free access across the TfL network, with more than 200 step-free stations making journeys quicker and easier. These improvements will make a huge difference to passengers with mobility needs and the wider public.”

David Rowe, TfL’s Director of Delivery Planning, said: “Surrey Quays station is set for a radical transformation that will make life easier and more comfortable for customers. New lifts will make it more accessible for everyone, and the new entrance will provide better connections with the local area. This work will support the new homes and jobs being created in Canada Water, helping the area to grow and recover from the pandemic.”

Lucy Frazer, Housing Minister, said: “We want to build the homes that communities need in the right places – and to do this we need the infrastructure to match.

“Our £4.2 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund is helping communities across the country by investing in key infrastructure, such as Surrey Quays station, to pave the way for thousands of new homes for local people.”
Simon Smith, Managing Director for Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, said: “We’re really pleased to be working with TfL once again following our recent successful project to deliver the new London Overground station at Barking Riverside.”

“We believe in leaving a lasting legacy for the communities we work in, and the Surrey Quays project will bring great benefits for customers and the local area. We look forward to working with TfL to improve accessibility and create opportunities in the wider community.”

Miles Price, Planning Director at British Land, said: “Having improved, and most importantly accessible, connectivity to the trains running through Surrey Quays station will help to alleviate pressure of nearby Canada Water station and provide the community a much-needed boost to transport options locally.

“With our development providing new offices, retail and leisure facilities over the next ten years, in turn drawing more people to an exciting mixed-use destination, now is great timing to ensure both stations can effectively manage new capacity levels.”

Cllr James McAsh, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency & Sustainable Development at Southwark Council, said: “We are delighted that a more accessible, better connected Surrey Quays station will benefit people living, working, and visiting the area. Our new town centre at Canada Water will have something for everyone, from thousands of new homes, particularly hundreds of much-needed social rent homes, to new shops, offices, open spaces, and a brand-new public leisure centre. Future-proofing the transport links like this is essential.”