Mind the steps: escalator repairs plague travel network

A growing number of mechanical problems at the capital's tube and light rail stations are disrupting commuters and incurring huge costs

- Brad Gray

An old adage states that there is no such thing as an out-of-order escalator - it just becomes a staircase.

But the reliability and operational status of the whole London transport network is being hindered by a growing number of problems involving station escalators, and fixing them means more than getting thousands of passengers clambering up stairs.

Transport for London (TfL) manages 574 escalators (and moving walkways) across 89 stations and carried out 61 London underground refurbishments from 2020 to 2024.

Eight more stations already have escalator-related mechanical issues severe enough to close some access for passengers so engineers can carry out repairs or replacements.

The length of these closures vary from a few weeks to many months. In some cases, passengers are diverted towards stairs and lifts, causing significant problems for those with mobility issues. In other instances, stations close completely.

From this weekend, the Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich DLR station - the third busiest on that network - will shut completely for at least a year so four escalators can be replaced.

Maritime Greenwich boasts some of London's most popular tourist attractions, including the Cutty Sark, the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich market and the Royal Observatory - as well as plenty of bustling waterside boozers.

It is the second such closure of a busy station in as many years, and there is reason to believe things will get worse.