The newly built £180 million extension of the Docklands Light Railway was unveiled by London Mayor Boris Johnson seven weeks ahead of schedule on 12 January. Mayor Johnson said:

“I am absolutely delighted that this extension of the DLR with its cracking new station is up and running and puts Woolwich Arsenal firmly on the tube map”

The 2.5km extension to the DLR runs from King George V Station (north of the Thames) to Woolwich Arsenal Station in Woolwich Town Centre connecting Woolwich to London City Airport in six minutes, Canary Wharf in 20 minutes and Bank in 28 minutes. The station will be heavily used during the 2012 Games as the Olympic shooting events will take place at the nearby Woolwich Artillery Barracks.

Work began on the extension in May 2005, under a PFI 30-year design, build, finance and maintain concession held by a 50:50 joint venture between Semperian and The Royal Bank of Scotland (“Woolwich Arsenal Rail Enterprises Ltd”). The same partners have a similar concession for the DLR from Canning Town to London City Airport and King George V dock.

The project has taken three-and-a-half years to construct by a contractor involving Morgan Est and Colas Rail; and works including civic engineering building, building services, railway and asscociation electrical, communications and associated distribution systems. Semperian obtained funding from a banking syndicate including The Royal Bank of Scotland and the European Investment Bank.

The extension includes 1.8km of two parallel 6m & bored tunnels under the River Thames, and the construction of an underground station in the heart of the town centre

Harvey Pownall, Project Director for Semperian, said:

“We are delighted to make another DLR extension available ahead of schedule and look forward to actively ensuring this excellent facility is able to benefit the local community over the next 26 years.
Working together with DLR has enabled us to deliver another landmark project which will not only support local regeneration but will also enable us to assist in a pivotal role during the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Significant environmental and community benefits were incurred on this project:

• c.104,000m3 of arisings from tunnels were removed and taken away via barges along the river rather than using lorries
• Recycled material was used in making the side roads for the construction erasing the need to use machinery
• Creation of jobs in the local community
• The new DLR station is fully accessible with lifts, escalators and step free access to platforms and trains. Interchange between DLR and Southeastern services at the adjacent national rail station is also fully accessible.