TfL appoints tunnelling contractor for Elephant & Castle Tube station upgrade

Transport for London (TfL) has awarded Dragados UK the contract for the design and construction of new passenger tunnels at Elephant & Castle Tube station. Funded by the Greater London Authority (GLA), London Borough of Southwark (LBS) and contributions from local developers, the contract is key to the station’s capacity upgrade.

Photo: Get Living

Due to be completed in 2027, the 135m of new passenger tunnels will link the already constructed new Northern line ticket hall (see photo above) to the existing platforms and overbridge. The fit-out of the station box, creating a new larger Northern line entrance and ticket hall, and its integration with the Elephant & Castle shopping centre redevelopment, is covered in a subsequent project stage.

The Northern line upgrade is core to developer Get Living's Elephant and Castle Town Centre scheme. Coming under the £4bn Elephant and Castle Opportunity Area, the scheme will deliver 485 new homes for market and affordable rent, alongside a new retail destination with shops, restaurants and leisure uses together with workspace and a state-of-the-art new campus for UAL's London College of Communication. The surrounding public realm will also be completely transformed with new streets, a public square and extensive landscaping.

As well as improving Northern line capacity and supporting local regeneration, the project is also key to the proposed Bakerloo Line Extension. If funding is secured, the tube extension would connect Elephant & Castle to Lewisham via Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate, unlocking 20,000 homes, potentially creating 10,000 jobs and delivering a £1.5bn boost to the UK economy.

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."

Although currently unfunded, an extension of the Bakerloo line to Lewisham and beyond would provide a radical change in connectivity and capacity in South East London, unlocking new homes and supporting jobs and economic growth across London and more widely across the UK.