TfL: Elephant & Castle Tube station to get multi-million pound upgrade

Elephant & Castle is set for a major renovation, and it’s going to cost an arm and a leg.

The tunnelling work is part of the first stage of the Northern Line Tube Station upgrade and will start next year.

TfL has awarded a multi-million pound contract to Dragados UK for the design and construction of the new tunnels which will link the new station box to the existing platforms and overbridge.

When complete, the Northern Line platforms will have step-free access to the street at Elephant and Castle for the first time.

The first stage of the upgrade is funded by the Greater London Authority (GLA), London Borough of Southwark (LBS), and contributions from local developers.

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Work on excavating around 135m of new passenger tunnels will start next year and is due to be completed in 2027.

The station box is currently under construction, having started in January 2022. However, the cost of turning this into a functioning building has yet to be funded.

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.

The scheme, which Londoners were first consulted on back in 2014, would involve extending the line from its current southern terminus at Elephant and Castle down to Lewisham via New Cross Gate, with new stations proposed on the Old Kent Road and at Burgess Park.

Phase 2

A second phase would then use existing rail lines to extend it to Hayes.

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.”

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.”

Bakerloo Line extension

TfL says the route would have a frequent Tube service, improving journey times and offering better connections in southeast London and into central London.

The proposal is to:

• Extend the Bakerloo line from Elephant and Castle to Lewisham
• Build a new Bakerloo line ticket hall at Elephant and Castle
• Take the route from Elephant and Castle along the Old Kent Road where two new stations are proposed
• Create a new station at New Cross Gate to provide better connectivity to National Rail, Overground and buses
• Improve the interchange station at Lewisham linking National Rail, DLR and buses

Consultations

Consultations were held by TfL in 2014 and 2017, and then in 2019 a more detailed proposal was put to the public, including plans for the route, locations of tunnelling worksites and the possible further extension to Hayes and Beckenham Junction.

Nearly 9,000 people responded to the consultation. TfL says 89% of respondents made “positive or supportive comments”, with 82% supporting a possible further extension to Hayes and Beckenham Junction.

In 2021, former transport secretary Grant Shapps’ office issued directions to safeguard land needed to build the proposed Bakerloo line extension from future development.