TfL: London tram network to be part-closed for over a week - when and why

The eastern leg of London's tram network will be shut for over a week later this month for planned works to replace key drainage infrastructure.

Services east of East Croydon - trams on the Beckenham Junction, Elmers End, and New Addington routes - will be paused from October 21 to 30, Transport for London (TfL) has said.

The work will involve digging a trench between Sandilands Junction and Bingham Road crossing, taking out old pipework and manholes and replacing them with new assets.

A TfL spokesperson said the work is “vital” to ensure reliability across the tram network is maintained.

Mark Davis, TfL’s general manager for London Trams, said: “This planned maintenance is vital to ensure we can continue to offer customers a reliable service across the London Trams network. I would like to thank customers for their patience while this takes place and would ask anyone travelling to plan ahead, allowing plenty of time for any journey.”

While the works are ongoing, rail replacement and local bus services will serve all of the tram stops temporarily out of action. Bingham Road will be closed to through traffic between Lower Addiscombe Road and Colworth Road, with on-street parking restrictions in place from October 16 to November 2.

A section of the tram network was down yesterday, after TfL identified damaged pantographs on a number of its vehicles, leading to a “shortage of trams”.