ON JUNE 13 Docklands Light Railway announced that it had ordered a further 31 articulated cars from Bombardier to accommodate projected demand during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Incorporating an option for nine cars included in the £50m contract for 24 new cars placed in May 2005, the extra 31 articulated vehicles will boost capacity on DLR's Stratford International - London City Airport - Woolwich Arsenal route which is due to be completed in 2010.
The £50m order is being partly funded by Transport for London from its £10bn bond-funded investment package, and partly by the Olympic Delivery Authority.
Bombardier plans to assemble the cars at Bautzen, with electrical equipment from Mannheim and bogies from Siegen. Delivery is scheduled to run from July 2008 to October 2009.
- May 28 saw the formal start of a new seven-year DLR operating franchise, which was awarded by TfL to existing operator Serco Docklands in March (RG 4.06 p177).
