Update: TfL Responds on Escalator 10 at Canning Town — and a New Fault Hits Escalator 4

Following the letters sent by myself and Cllr Dr Rohit Kumar Dasgupta to Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport pressing TfL for answers on the prolonged Escalator 10 outage at Canning Town, we have now received a response. Here is an update for residents on where things stand.

TfL’s Response

We are sorry for the inconvenience caused by Escalator 10 being out of service and want to assure you we are working to address the issue safely and efficiently. I understand that [some residents] is also engaging directly with our customer service team on this issue who have been providing them with regular updates.

Escalator 10 was removed from service due to a step defect that presents a safety risk to passengers and means the escalator, when moving, is non-compliant with safety requirements and cannot be used. I have confirmed barriers are in place to prevent passengers from using the escalator. Signage has been placed at the station advising customers of alternative accessible options.

Replacing escalator steps is a complex and significant operation which requires bespoke components to be fitted. Unfortunately, there has been a delay as the initial replacement part did not meet safety standards. A new part has been ordered, and TfL is awaiting delivery. I am unable confirm when the escalator will be back in service at this stage while we await the new part, but want to assure you that we will progress work as safely and efficiently as possible.

At the time of writing, Escalator 4 at Canning Town is now unfortunately also out of service due to a split handrail. This is a separate issue from the step fault at Escalator 10. We are working with contractors to repair the handrail and get the escalator back in service. In the meantime, the out of service escalator remains open for customers to walk down.

What This Means for Residents

This response confirms what many passengers had already feared: there is still no firm date for Escalator 10 to return to service, and the delay has now been compounded by a replacement part failing to meet safety standards. I appreciate that TfL cannot compromise on safety, and a non-compliant part must be replaced rather than fitted, but this is a further setback for residents and disabled passengers who have already been without step-free access at this escalator for months.

The news that Escalator 4 has now also failed, due to a split handrail, will be unwelcome to anyone using the station day to day. TfL has confirmed this escalator remains open to walk down, so it is not a step-free access issue in the same way as Escalator 10, but it adds to the sense that Canning Town’s escalators are in urgent need of sustained investment and maintenance, not just reactive repairs.

What I’ll Keep Pressing For

I will continue to press TfL for:

• A firm timescale for the new part’s delivery and Escalator 10’s return to service, as soon as one can reasonably be given;
• Confirmation of when Escalator 4’s handrail repair will be completed;
• A wider look at whether Canning Town’s escalators need a more fundamental maintenance overhaul, given the frequency of faults at this station.

If you are affected by either outage, particularly if you rely on step-free access, please do get in touch with my office. I will keep updating this page as I hear more from TfL.

— Cllr John Morris