Timetable Changes

It is generally difficult to identify timetable changes on the DLR because about 2 years ago they stopped putting up proper departure time notices on station platforms, replacing these with first, last, and "every 2 to 12 minutes" (ie useless) type notices instead. When this change first came along there was an excuse printed that it was "temporary".

The recent progressive reduction of the through Stratford service is undesirable. When it ran through to Greenwich and Lewisham at weekends, alternate trains with the Bank service, we noticed just as many passengers at Greenwich Cutty Sark letting the Bank service go, waiting for the Stratford train, as did the opposite. And these trains were certainly well loaded passing Canary Wharf.

On the too-frequent weekends when the Jubilee is not running beyond North Greenwich, to get to Canning Town you now need to change to Heron Quay (the recommended point), and at Canary Wharf, and at Poplar. That's three changes in less than a mile.

The reduction of one-third in the service into Blackwall from the east may seem irrelevant, but there is a substantial peak period movement from the Jubilee at Canning Town connecting to the DLR westbound to East India, and then walking on the footbridge across the Limehouse Link to the very large office complexes that have built up in recent years on the north side. Maybe 100 passengers per train or more.

The evening enhanced service eastbound on the Beckton line as far as Gallions Reach, between about 18.30 and 19.30, has also been lost, quite unannounced, as these were trains returning to the depot after the rush hour, although still at a busy time for going home, which nowadays are three-unit trains and therefore no longer allowed to carry passengers east of Canning Town. It is very galling for Beckton line passengers to see trains they used to get home at the end of the day now being driven empty past them.