Temporary closure of Cutty Sark station for escalator replacement starts next week

Cutty Sark DLR station is set to get four new state-of-the-art, energy efficient escalators, providing customers with easier and more reliable access to and from the station. To complete the complex installation in the safest and most efficient way, the station will close from Saturday 31 May until next spring.

During the closure use nearby Greenwich station, which is 11 minutes by foot, or local bus services. Additional street level signage has been installed to help guide customers more easily between Cutty Sark and Greenwich stations.

The four new escalators will replace the existing ones which have become increasingly unreliable and were eventually taken out of service as they were beyond economical to repair.

Replacing escalators at this station is complex due to the way the existing escalators were installed. Replacing all four at the same time is the best way to minimise disruption to customers. Limited space at the station meant keeping the station open during the works was not possible.

Ben Grellier, TfL’s Head of Operations for the DLR, said: “Cutty Sark station will close next week, Saturday 31 May, until next spring to allow escalator replacement works to place. We would like to thank customers for their patience while the work takes place.

“We look forward to welcoming customers back next spring after new state-of-the-art escalators have been installed which will provide customers with reliable and easier access to DLR services at the station once more.”

A Royal Borough of Greenwich spokesperson said: “We welcome the news of improvement works to Cutty Sark DLR station. The escalator replacement will ensure a fully accessible station for all users for many years to come. In the meantime, there are many other ways to get to and from Greenwich including buses, mainline rail stations and riverboat services.

“Greenwich town centre is always open. We’re working closely with local businesses and our tourism partners to make sure the impact of the closure is as minimal as possible. As a UNESCO world heritage, millions of people come to Greenwich to visit its world-famous park, observatory and other attractions every year, so we’ll be exploring all the ways we can work with TfL and others to keep our town centre the vibrant, bustling corner of London that people know and love.”

Transport for London’s escalators are heavy-duty machines and tend to be in operation in both directions for up to 20 hours a day. They weigh around 40 tonnes each and carry millions of people each year. A typical 15-metre rise escalator has approximately 15,000 moving parts. The four new escalators at Cutty Sark DLR station will have more efficient motors and drivers and run in energy-saving mode when not in use, using less energy, and helping to decarbonise the network.