Pontoon Dock DLR station "effectively inaccessible" as another lift fails

After nearly ten months without a working northbound lift at Pontoon Dock DLR station, step-free access was finally restored last month. But the relief for passengers has been short-lived: the southbound lift is now closed off and out of service - with no fix expected for at least 12 months.

This means Pontoon Dock station remains effectively inaccessible for many travellers, especially wheelchair users, elderly passengers, people with pushchairs, and anyone with mobility issues.

Adding insult to injury, the Mayor of London last week made a high-profile announcement celebrating future redevelopment plans for Pontoon Dock - including six new escalators, a larger mezzanine, and long-term improvements to accessibility by the end of 2028 - without acknowledging that the station is currently still inaccessible today.

Local residents say they are dismayed by the Mayor’s fanfare over future plans while ignoring the ongoing crisis that has left many unable to access basic transport. A planned refurbishment that will take many years to complete is cold comfort to those struggling to board a train this week.

Nusrath Hussain, a local resident, said:

“It feels like a slap in the face. We’ve waited nearly a year for one lift to be repaired, only for the other one to go down. And now they’re celebrating a redevelopment that won’t be finished until the end of 2028? What are we supposed to do until then?”

London Assembly Member Hina Bokhari OBE said:

“Pontoon Dock has become a symbol of how badly we are failing on accessibility. People have waited nearly a year for o lift to be fixed, and now they’re being told to wait another year for the other one. That is completely unacceptable. We need urgent, practical solutions that help residents today. A future upgrade in 2028 means nothing to someone who has to face unnecessary difficulty every single day they try to use their local station.”

Assembly Member Bokhari continues to call on TfL to:

• Urgently explore temporary step-free access options, including a free replacement bus to nearby accessible stations like Canning Town
• Provide a clear timeline and transparent communication around the southbound lift repairs
• Review their response to long-term lift outages and improve contingency planning for future accessibility failures