“People power” has been praised for pushing through the refurbishment of a DLR station after it reopened with new escalators, a new lift and artwork celebrating Greenwich history.
The Cutty Sark DLR station reopened yesterday (March 23), bringing residents and visitors right back into the heart of Greenwich for the first time in nearly 10 months. Transport for London (TfL) closed the station at the end of May last year in order to replace its “increasingly unreliable” escalators as well as to give the transport hub a general facelift.
The improved DLR station also contains a new lift, a raised ceiling above the two upper escalators, upgraded safety features and brand new artwork celebrating the history and heritage of Greenwich, created in collaboration with Visit Greenwich.
Greenwich residents Kairn Tearle, Maureen O’Mara and Rachael Oakley launched the Escalate Now campaign in late 2024 in order to put pressure on TfL to replace the aging escalators.
The campaign group were “very happy” to see the station open again and the escalators replaced. They congratulated TfL on the work it had done.
Maureen said: “We’re particularly pleased because we do think that the reopening of the Cutty Sark DLR was really down to people power. Promises were made that the escalators and lifts were going to be replaced, but we can’t just rely on promises.
“We ran our campaign in order to put extra pressure on TfL and it was a campaign that was supported by 3,500 customers. It was a passenger-led campaign.”
The Escalate Now group has since turned its attention to the Greenwich and Woolwich foot tunnels, campaigning to have their faulty lifts replaced. Greenwich Council confirmed in December that both tunnels would be undergoing a “full regeneration”.
Ellie Brown is the owner of Greenwich Fitness & Pilates and has her studio in Greenwich Market. She said the Cutty Sark closure had been “really detrimental” to businesses in Greenwich town centre.
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Ellie said: “It is so fantastic to see it open. It’s perfect timing with all the tourists coming into Greenwich, and it’s lovely now walking past and seeing everyone walking in and out. It’s been long overdue and we are over the moon that it’s open.”
DLR users Tom Keen and Mia Gaulton were “so pleased” to see the station open again. Tom said: “We used to live together in Creek Road and this was our closest station so when it closed it was a bit annoying, but it’s so good that it’s open now. It’s just great news.”
Mia added: “It just makes such a difference I think, especially now having the escalators. This is exciting, and we’re excited because last year at the marathon it was a bit chaotic and they shut the station.
“Hopefully this year, because we love to watch it, [the station being open again] will be really handy.”
The London Marathon starts on Blackheath and is seen as one of the major events in the Greenwich calendar.
Greenwich Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Sustainability and Transport, Cllr Calum O’Byrne Mulligan, said TfL would be running the new escalators at a quicker speed on marathon day to get more spectators and runners through to the start line.
He said: “I think it’s absolutely fantastic that Greenwich has the gateway we deserve. We’ve got a fully refurbished station, four new escalators, a new lift and a wider facelift for the station, things that we’ve been working for for years, all delivered by TfL ahead of schedule and on budget as well.
“It’s incredible. You can see the number of people coming on and off the trains now on day one.
“With the marathon and the new escalators they will be able to run them at a faster speed to be able to get more people through the station safely on what is one of the landmark days for us here in Greenwich.”
Isle of Dogs resident Alicia Loe was “very happy” that the station had reopened. She often had to use the “dingy” Greenwich foot tunnel during the closure whenever she travelled south of the river.
The tunnel’s faulty lifts made it even more difficult for her, especially when pushing a pram containing her young daughter. Alicia said: “I can now get to the park a lot easier and I don’t have to walk across the dingy foot tunnel. It’s good timing all round.”
