Docklands Light Railway in the City
City of London travel information - the DLR
Computer-controlled trains with no drivers? No, you're not entering a scene from Blade Runner. You're taking a ride on the DLR.
DLR is short for Docklands Light Railway, a light rail system providing transport service to the Docklands area of East London. The DLR system opened in 1987 and today has almost 40 stations, with more on the way. It goes as far north as Stratford, as far south as Lewisham, and Beckton and North Woolwich in the East. Its most western connection is at Bank Station in the City of London. The DLR's London City Airport extension makes the DLR particularly convenient for business travelers with appoints in the City.
Having no actual human driver, the DLR trains are controlled by computers with a Passenger Service Agent. This person patrols the train checking tickets, controlling the doors and announcing any relevant information to passengers. Passenger Service Agents are also on hand and trained to respond accordingly should an emergency, equipment failure or other unlikely circumstance should occur. Underground DLR stations are also staffed and are capable of directing people in case of evacuation.
The Docklands Light Railway shares similarities with the London Underground. Convenient for commuters using both systems, the DLR and the London Underground share a ticketing system. The two systems are both shown on London Underground Tube maps as well. However, the trains and tracks are not compatible. The London Underground's Tube trains are examples of heavy rail, built for higher capacity and greater speed than the DLR's smaller, lighter trains and tracks. Although capacity and speed may seem to be compromised, the light rail system's advantage is in its flexibility. According to the DLR website:
Light railways have more frequent stops, can navigate sharper curves and steeper grades, and trains are generally quieter than those used for conventional heavy rail. Light rail is typically less expensive to construct and operate than heavy rail and an ideal transport mode for moving large numbers of passengers along busy routes.
In 2006, this flexible system - by connecting East London to the City of London to East London and making the redeveloped Docklands to the rest of greater London - carried more than 60 million passengers.
Such a flexible form of public transport may prove vital during the upcoming London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Indeed, its East London location (the general area of London where the Olympics are to be held) will surely mean thousands of attendees will utilize the DLR. An expanded network of DLR stops, including one at the Olympic Park, are in their planning phase.
A good resource for more information about the Docklands Light Railway maybe found at Transport for London's
DLR page.
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