DLR wins space race with three car trains

It will see an extra carriage on many trains from the City to south London, meaning 50 per cent more space onboard for those passing through Canary Wharf.

Speaking at the launch of the three-car trains on Tuesday, Mayor Boris Johnson's transport adviser Kulveer Ranger said: "We know the Bank to Lewisham branch is the most congested and heavily used and this will alleviate that demand and stress in rush hour.

"This is the next part of showing people the DLR is becoming a more mature railway.

"A lot of people have seen the work going on, not just on the increased carriages coming online, but investment on the track, the stations and the refurbishment of Tower Gateway."

Mr Ranger said there would be a gradual roll-out, with the rest of the network benefiting from the new trains over the next year.

He added: "This carriage feels a lot more airy, the doors have more glass, it's a smoother journey, has better braking and, or course, more capacity."

Some of the trains will be completely new while others will be existing trains with the third carriage added.

The whole service will be completely three car compatible when the Canning Town to Beckton line is converted in a year's time.

Canary Wharf Group praised the latest transport development with strategic adviser Howard Dawber hailing it "great news for commuters".

He added: "These longer, more spacious trains will provide room for growth over the coming months as several large companies are relocating to the Canary Wharf estate.

"The DLR network is important to us not just in terms of the daily commute but also in linking Canary Wharf to the other hotspots of east London like City Airport and the Excel.

"History shows that increased transport capacity in east London has stimulated regeneration, investment and new jobs, so today's announcement is good news for all of the Docklands area."