They had been connected to the national railway network via the London and Blackwall Railway (L&BR), which was closed in 1966 for lack of traffic.
The opening of the Tilbury container docks, further east in Essex, finally rendered them redundant, and in 1980 the government gained control of the now-derelict area. As early as 1972, consideration was given to how to redevelop the moribund Docklands.
The Greater London Council formed a Docklands Joint Committee with the Boroughs of Greenwich, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets in 1974 to undertake the redevelopment of the area.
Nonetheless, in 1976 another report proposed a conventional tube railway for the area and London Transport obtained Parliamentary powers to build a line from Charing Cross station to Fenchurch Street, Surrey Docks (now Surrey Quays railway station), the Isle of Dogs, North Greenwich and Custom House to Woolwich Arsenal.
This was intended to be the second stage of the Fleet line – which had been renamed the Jubilee line, the first stage of which opened in 1979 from to .
The opening of the Tilbury container docks, further east in Essex, finally rendered them redundant, and in 1980 the government gained control of the now-derelict area. As early as 1972, consideration was given to how to redevelop the moribund Docklands.
However, when the Thatcher Government came to power, the plans to extend the Jubilee line were halted and the new government insisted that a lower-cost option should be pursued. The government established the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) in July 1981 to coordinate the redevelopment of the Docklands.
Ultimately this latter option was chosen, though the 1981 London Transport report warned that without extensive development around Canary Wharf the area would be "very isolated with poor traffic prospects" – as indeed it was, for a number of years. The contract for the initial system was awarded to a GEC / John Mowlem joint venture in 1984 and the system was constructed from 1985 to 1987 at a cost of £77 million.
Ultimately this latter option was chosen, though the 1981 London Transport report warned that without extensive development around Canary Wharf the area would be "very isolated with poor traffic prospects" – as indeed it was, for a number of years. The contract for the initial system was awarded to a GEC / John Mowlem joint venture in 1984 and the system was constructed from 1985 to 1987 at a cost of £77 million.
Ultimately this latter option was chosen, though the 1981 London Transport report warned that without extensive development around Canary Wharf the area would be "very isolated with poor traffic prospects" – as indeed it was, for a number of years. The contract for the initial system was awarded to a GEC / John Mowlem joint venture in 1984 and the system was constructed from 1985 to 1987 at a cost of £77 million.
First opened on 31 August 1987, the DLR has been extended multiple times, and now reaches north to Stratford, south to Lewisham, west to and in the City of London financial district, and east to Beckton, London City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal.
Ultimately this latter option was chosen, though the 1981 London Transport report warned that without extensive development around Canary Wharf the area would be "very isolated with poor traffic prospects" – as indeed it was, for a number of years. The contract for the initial system was awarded to a GEC / John Mowlem joint venture in 1984 and the system was constructed from 1985 to 1987 at a cost of £77 million.
The line was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 30 July 1987, and passenger services began on 31 August. ===Initial system (1987–1990)=== The initial system comprised two routes, from and Stratford to .
Stations and trains were extended to two-unit length, and the system was expanded into the heart of the City of London to through a tunnel, which opened in 1991.
A route from via and the north side of the Royal Docks complex was chosen, and opened in 1994.
The ambitions of the operators were supported by politicians in Parliament, including the future Labour Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, and Lord Whitty; and by 1996 construction work had begun. The Lewisham extension opened on 20 November 1999.
The ambitions of the operators were supported by politicians in Parliament, including the future Labour Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, and Lord Whitty; and by 1996 construction work had begun. The Lewisham extension opened on 20 November 1999.
The extension quickly proved profitable. ===Extensions to London City Airport & Woolwich (2004–2009)=== The next developments were aided by a five-year programme of investment for public transport across London that was unveiled by Mayor of London Ken Livingstone on 12 October 2004.
On 2 December 2005, an eastward branch along the approximate route of the former Eastern Counties and Thames Junction Railway on the southern side of the Royal Docks complex opened from Canning Town to via . A further extension from to Woolwich Arsenal opened on 10 January 2009, providing interchange with the North Kent main line, close to the planned future stop on the Crossrail line to Abbey Wood via West India and Royal Docks, met by Private Finance Initiative funding.
Construction began in June 2005, the same month that the contracts were finalised, and the tunnels were completed on 23 July 2007, and formally opened by Boris Johnson, Mayor of London on 12 January 2009.
Construction began in June 2005, the same month that the contracts were finalised, and the tunnels were completed on 23 July 2007, and formally opened by Boris Johnson, Mayor of London on 12 January 2009.
The original £200m contract was awarded on 3 May 2007.
Work started in 2007 and Bank-Lewisham was originally due to be completed in 2009.
It was an important part of transport improvements for the 2012 Olympic Games, much of which were held on a site adjoining Stratford International. The first contract for construction work was awarded on 10 January 2007 and construction started in mid-2007.
On 2 December 2005, an eastward branch along the approximate route of the former Eastern Counties and Thames Junction Railway on the southern side of the Royal Docks complex opened from Canning Town to via . A further extension from to Woolwich Arsenal opened on 10 January 2009, providing interchange with the North Kent main line, close to the planned future stop on the Crossrail line to Abbey Wood via West India and Royal Docks, met by Private Finance Initiative funding.
Construction began in June 2005, the same month that the contracts were finalised, and the tunnels were completed on 23 July 2007, and formally opened by Boris Johnson, Mayor of London on 12 January 2009.
Following completion, the project was shortlisted for the 2009 Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award. The original was closed in mid-2008 for complete reconstruction.
It reopened on 2 March 2009. As part of an upgrade to allow three-car trains, strengthening work was necessary at the Delta Junction north of .
Work started in 2007 and Bank-Lewisham was originally due to be completed in 2009.
However, the work programme for the first two phases was merged and the infrastructure work was completed by the end of January 2010.
They started running on the Beckton branch on 9 May 2011.
Originally scheduled to open in mid-2010, the line opened on 31 August 2011.
The extra capacity was useful for the 2012 Summer Olympics, which increased the use of London's transport network.
Stratford to Lewisham and Bank to Woolwich Arsenal services sometimes operate as three-car trains; other routes run the longer trains when required. ===Extension to Stratford International (2011)=== In addition to the three-car station extensions, partly funded from the 2012 Olympics budget, a line was opened from Canning Town to Stratford and Stratford International railway station along the former North London Line of the national railway system, with additional stations.
It was an important part of transport improvements for the 2012 Olympic Games, much of which were held on a site adjoining Stratford International. The first contract for construction work was awarded on 10 January 2007 and construction started in mid-2007.
This included a replacement station, which opened on 28 April 2014.
On 11 November 2015 the Mayor of London announced that all stations on this line would be rezoned from zone 3 to zone 2/3. New stations were (names in bold are former North London Line stations): , , , , (on the site of railway station), and Stratford International. From Canning Town to Stratford the extension runs parallel to the Jubilee line of the London Underground.
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