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Cabinet voted unanimously for the C9 scheme, which adds three floating bus stops. A resident had urged councillors to reject it over safety.
New DLR trains reach Bank to Lewisham in January, with the rollout running to 2030
TfL's timetable for its 54 B23 trains brings back off-peak Stratford International to Lewisham services in February 2027 and finishes in February 2030.
Key facts
- 54 new B23 trains are being rolled out across the DLR
- From 10 January the new trains cover the whole Stratford International to Woolwich Arsenal branch and start on Bank to Lewisham
- Off-peak Stratford International to Lewisham services start returning in February 2027
- The upgrade is due to be complete on 4 February 2030, with 15 trains an hour on the Woolwich Arsenal branch
New DLR trains will run on the whole Stratford International to Woolwich Arsenal branch from 10 January. The same day, the first of them will start carrying passengers between Bank and Lewisham, according to a rollout plan from Transport for London.
The timeline for the fleet of 54 trains, known as B23s, was released under the Freedom of Information Act. It lists every stage of the upgrade until early 2030.
The first new train returned to passenger service in September. TfL had halted the upgrade last November when a fault with the brakes showed up at Canning Town station. Passengers on the Stratford International to Woolwich Arsenal route are seeing the new trains first, and TfL plans a bedding-in period for the rest of 2026.
When the new DLR trains reach each branch
In February 2027 TfL will start bringing back services between Stratford International and Lewisham, which at present run only at peak times. Trains between Canning Town and Beckton will also become more frequent at busy times during that period.
After that, TfL wants every train on the Bank to Lewisham branch to be a B23. The Bank to Woolwich branch should be fully switched over by 31 October. From 5 March 2028 the new fleet is due to take over all journeys between Tower Gateway and Beckton, and from 16 April 2028 it should start running between Stratford and Lewisham.
More frequency increases are planned across the network during 2028. The project is due to be complete on 4 February 2030. On that date the Stratford International to Woolwich Arsenal service rises to 15 trains an hour.
What changes for DLR passengers
The B23s take over from a fleet that first entered service in the 1990s, with later trains added in the early 2000s. Passengers can walk the length of the new trains from one carriage to the next. They are air conditioned, show travel updates as they happen and have dedicated wheelchair spaces. TfL says the new fleet will add 10 per cent to the line’s capacity, and the upgrade is also meant to bring more services and more direct routes.
Stuart Harvey, TfL’s chief capital officer, apologised for the delay in bringing the trains back. “Safety is always our top priority,” he said, adding that TfL would keep monitoring performance as more trains are introduced.
Key questions
When will new DLR trains run between Bank and Lewisham?
The first B23 trains are due on the Bank to Lewisham branch from 10 January. TfL then aims to have the whole branch served by the new fleet.
What features do the new DLR trains have?
Passengers can walk between carriages, the trains are air conditioned, they show travel updates and they have dedicated wheelchair spaces. TfL says capacity on the line will rise by 10 per cent.
When will the DLR train upgrade finish?
TfL expects it to be complete on 4 February 2030. From then the Stratford International to Woolwich Arsenal service runs 15 trains an hour.
Why were the new DLR trains delayed?
TfL halted the upgrade last November after a brake fault at Canning Town station. The first new train returned to service in September.
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