Elizabeth line’s Canary Wharf station transferred to Transport for London

Credit: Transport for London

Ahead of the Elizabeth line’s opening in the first half of 2022, the Canary Wharf Elizabeth line station has officially been transferred from Crossrail to Transport for London (TfL), which means that the station can now be fully integrated with the operational network. Following this, nine out of the 10 central stations have now been transferred to TfL.

Staff from MTR Elizabeth line, who will operate Canary Wharf, will continue familiarisation with the station, its procedures, facilities and systems. They will also undertake Trial Operations exercises to replicate scenarios that may occur when the station is open to customers.

The Elizabeth line will help to provide new journey options and support wider regeneration – creating jobs, business opportunities and providing a huge economic boost. It will also connect London’s major employment centres and increase central London rail capacity by 10 per cent.

With Trial Operations having started on the central section in November 2021, the railway will enter its next stage with larger exercises involving staff and partner organisations imminently. Trial Operations is the final phase of the programme before the Elizabeth line opens for passenger services between Paddington and Abbey Wood in the first half of 2022.

 “This is the ninth station to be handed over to TfL and marks another big milestone for the Elizabeth line before it opens for passengers in the first half of [2022]. Canary Wharf is a great place to live, work and spend time, and the new Elizabeth line will make it quicker and easier for people to travel around London as the city recovers from the pandemic,” said Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.

The Canary Wharf Elizabeth line station was constructed by Canary Wharf Group and sits below a five-storey mixed-use development known as Crossrail Place. The new station will connect this key business district to the City of London, the West End and, later, directly to Heathrow without customers needing to change trains.

“It’s fantastic to see the completed Canary Wharf station handed over to TfL, as the Elizabeth line gets ready to start operations. The Elizabeth line will be a game changer for London and for Canary Wharf. Residents, workers and visitors to Canary Wharf will benefit from fast, comfortable new trains, transforming connectivity and journey times across the capital,” said Shobi Khan, CEO of Canary Wharf Group.

The Elizabeth line will dramatically increase the capacity and resilience of transport services to and from Canary Wharf and the surrounding area, helping to support further development and investment in this key business and retail district.