Major milestone reached in vital Elephant & Castle Tube station upgrade as TfL appoints tunnelling contractor to link new station box with existing platforms

Transport for London (TfL) has awarded a contract to Dragados UK for the design and construction of new passenger tunnels at Elephant & Castle Tube station, which will link the new station box to the existing platforms and overbridge. The contract award is the latest development in the vital capacity upgrade project and follows a competitive tendering process. 

The first stage of the major upgrade of Elephant & Castle Tube station, which includes the tunnelling work, is funded by the Greater London Authority (GLA), London Borough of Southwark (LBS) and contributions from local developers. Work on excavating around 135m of new passenger tunnels will start next year and is due to be completed in 2027. 

The ongoing work to build the expanded Elephant & Castle Tube station, which is essential for the regeneration of the area, includes:  

• The construction of a new station box and passenger tunnels which will link the box to the existing platforms and overbridge (Stage 1). In January 2022 construction started on the station box, a reinforced concrete structure that will house the new Northern line entrance and ticket hall. The team celebrated excavating to the lowest level – 33m below ground – in March this year. The station box will also support a new oversite development, including the new campus for UAL’s London College of Communication.
• The fit-out of the new station box, enabling a new, larger Northern line entrance and ticket hall, with step-free access, to be brought into use (Stage 2). It will be integrated with the Elephant & Castle shopping centre redevelopment currently under construction and replace the existing Northern line entrance and ticket hall which will be decommissioned, ready for further redevelopment. Stage 2 is subject to funding approval.
• Future proofing for the Bakerloo Line Extension. The new Northern line entrance and ticket hall will represent the first piece of substantial infrastructure to support the proposed Bakerloo Line Extension, which is currently unfunded. If funding is secured, the extension would connect Elephant & Castle to Lewisham via Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate, unlocking 20,000 homes, creating 10,000 jobs and delivering a £1.5bn boost to the UK economy*. The new entrance and ticket hall would initially improve capacity for Northern line customers but is being constructed in such a way that it could serve both Northern and Bakerloo line customers in future.

Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said: “I’m delighted TfL has now appointed a tunnelling contractor so work can continue on the vital Elephant and Castle Tube station upgrade, which will give the station step free access for the first time and deliver a new Northern line entrance and ticket hall. These significant upgrades will not only improve customer journeys through the station but will also support the delivery of thousands of new jobs and new homes in Elephant and Castle, supporting the Mayor’s aim for a fairer, greener London for everyone.” 

Stuart Harvey, TfL’s Chief Capital Officer, said: “Work is progressing well on the major upgrade of Elephant & Castle Tube station, with the appointment of a tunnelling contractor a significant step forward in delivering an expanded station fit to serve this growing community for many decades to come. When completed, the new entrance and ticket hall will provide step-free access from street to platform level on the Northern line and increase station capacity by over 30 per cent. Further in the future, and subject to TfL securing the necessary funding, the plan is for this new entrance to also serve Bakerloo line customers as part of the planned Bakerloo Line Extension.” 

Cllr Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for New Homes and Sustainable Development at Southwark Council, said: “Elephant and Castle is fast-growing as a busy town centre and popular place to live in Zone 1, which needs a station that can meet increasing demand. This new entrance and ticket hall is essential for easier access to the Northern line for residents and visitors, while paving the way for a future extension of the Bakerloo line. It’s really exciting to see major progress on a project that will help transform our city with new homes, jobs, and growth.” 

TfL is progressing work on plans to upgrade and extend the Bakerloo line. TfL’s immediate priority is securing the long-term capital funding certainty that would allow it to, among other vital investments, replace the existing 36-train Bakerloo line fleet which, at over 50 years old, is the oldest operating in daily passenger service anywhere in the UK. Securing a new fleet of trains, which the Siemens Mobility factory in Goole would be expected to deliver, and signalling for the Bakerloo line would improve reliability across the line. Although currently unfunded, an extension of the Bakerloo line to Lewisham and beyond would provide a radical change in connectivity and capacity, unlocking much needed new homes and supporting jobs and economic growth both across London and more widely across the UK via TfL's extensive supply chain. The upgrade of the Bakerloo line is necessary to support the extension, which is safeguarded and ready to take through the planning process.