KeolisAmey chosen to operate London's Docklands Light Railway automatic metro system

Transport for London (TfL) has reappointed KeolisAmey[1] to operate and maintain the DLR automated metro network in London. The contract will begin on 1 April 2025, and will run for eight years. The annual revenue including expected inflation over the core contract term would be about €140 million.

• With this new contract, Keolis will continue to operate one of the key services of TfL’s transport network, further strengthening its position as a mobility operator in the UK and a global leader in automated metro systems.

Transport for London (TfL) has just announced its decision to award the franchise for the operation and maintenance of the Docklands Light Railway to KeolisAmey, the joint venture between Keolis and Amey[1]. As the longstanding operator of DLR since December 2014, the joint venture will continue to manage this critical constituent part of London’s public transport network for an additional eight years, starting on 1 April 2025.

Inaugurated in 1987, the DLR is a fully automated metro network that serves the Docklands, a former port area in East London. It has gradually expanded on both sides of the Thames and today provides services to rapidly growing areas such as Canary Wharf, Greenwich, and Lewisham. Consisting of 40 km of track and 45 stations, the network is renowned for its efficiency and accessibility, with stations offering panoramic views of London’s urban landscape. It is the busiest light rail network in the UK, carrying around 100 million passengers per year. 

The renewal of this franchise marks a continuation of the achievements of the past ten years, during which improvements have already been made in both passenger service and infrastructure. In the coming years, KeolisAmey will further improve service quality and the passenger experience. The company will support Transport for London in introducing 54 new trains to the network, introduce new timetables with increased service frequency, and deploy innovative technologies based on artificial intelligence to improve passenger safety in stations and manage footfall during major events. In a predictive asset maintenance approach, investments are also planned to develop remote monitoring of the train fleet, critical infrastructure, buildings and tunnels. Additionally, an apprenticeship programme to promote local employment, together with community outreach projects including initiatives in schools and towards long term jobseekers, will be implemented in the east and southeast of London.

Last year, Keolis celebrated the 40th anniversary of the world’s first automated metro, launched in 1983 in Lille. Since then, Keolis’s experience in operating this mode of transport has continued to grow globally. Today, Keolis operates a dozen automated metro networks, including the world’s longest automated metro network in Dubai. With 280 km of lines in operation or under construction, Keolis is the world’s leading operator of automated metros.