Pontoon Dock DLR station upgrade set to start in summer 2026

The £44 million project will see six escalators and a new mezzanine level installed at Pontoon Dock station in Silvertown.

Transport for London (TfL) has said that work is expected to begin next summer and should be completed by the end of 2028.

The station is set to remain open throughout most of the project.

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At 13 metres above street level, Pontoon Dock is one of the highest stations on the DLR network (Image: TfL)

At 13 metres above street level, Pontoon Dock is one of the highest stations on the DLR network.

Currently, passengers can only access the station by the stairs or lifts.

This means that at peak times, when around half of passengers use the lifts, there is significant congestion, with knock-on impacts for journey times.

TfL hopes that the new escalators and larger mezzanine level will reduce queuing, ease pressure on the lifts and provide further step-free options at the station.

Most of the project will be funded by third-party contributions, including those from Homes England, Greater London Authority (GLA) and developer Lendlease.

According to a previous TfL report, it is expected that passenger demand at the station will increase by a whopping 415 per cent once 6,500 new homes are built in the area.

New shops are also expected to be created around the station once the upgrade is complete.

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Escalators and a new mezzanine level are set to be built at the station (Image: TfL)

Alex Williams, chief customer and strategy officer at TfL, said: “The transformation at Pontoon Dock will make life easier and more comfortable for customers, through reduced congestion and enhanced accessibility.

“It will also play a central role in supporting important regeneration in the local area, helping to unlock around 6,500 new homes and 10,000 new jobs at Silvertown Quays."

Contractor Morgan Sindall Infrastructure has been appointed to carry out the work at the DLR station.

Passengers are also set to see new trains introduced on the network before the end of this year.

Future extensions could see new stops at Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead, as well as a station at Thames Wharf near the east London entrance of the Silvertown Tunnel.