On Thu, 8 Jan 2009 12:32:45 -0800 (PST), MIG
wrote:

On Jan 8, 8:08*pm, Paul Corfield wrote:
On Thu, 8 Jan 2009 10:05:08 -0800 (PST), Mizter T
wrote:

DLR webpage on "service change from 10 January":
http://pressroom.dlr.co.uk/news/details.asp?id=188

The DLR extension from King George V under the Thames to Woolwich
Arsenal is set to open this Saturday, the 10th of January, well over a
month before the contracted date of 28 February [1]. Public service
would appear to commence at the normal start of play in the early
morning on Saturday.

I'm amazed this is just on the DLR Press page and not the TfL Press
Release list. *Still nice to know that it looks like the service is
starting then. *It was rumoured that passenger service might not start
until Monday even though the underlying timetable had changed.

Didn't the King George officially start on a Monday but actually on a
Saturday? Certainly it was running before the official start.

I think so but I recall it was formally announced on the main TfL site.
I hadn't even appreciated DLR ran their own separate press set up until
I clicked on the link Mizter T provided. Shows how much attention I pay
to the TfL media page!

[*Usefulness for North Kent line to Canary Wharf commuters*]

Of course the new DLR link will obviously provide a very useful
interchange with the North Kent line for people heading to the
Docklands. However there wouldn't appear to be an appreciable
difference to journey times for those heading to the big Docklands
traffic destination of Canary Wharf - from Woolwich Arsenal, the JP
gives a 20-22 min journey to CW via Canning Town and a change on to
the Jubilee line (though this is a very easy interchange).

The other factor is that if people swap permanently to changing at
Woolwich for Docklands they can reduce the number of zones they require
on their Travelcard. Losing Zone 1 is a decent drop in price (assuming
there's no other regular reason to travel there).

I don't think you'd have needed zone 1 if changing and Greenwich, and
would still need zone 2.

My comment was based solely on the assumption that North Kent line
passengers decide to divert via Woolwich and DLR rather than continue
into town and back track from London Bridge via the tube. Of course
there has been the option of going via Greenwich or Lewisham but that
link does get horrendously overcrowded in the peaks. In the short term
(probably only a few weeks!) I suspect Woolwich may be a more relaxed
option for some people.

Still I am sure I'll toddle along at some point tomorrow to take a look.
Shame the Jubilee Line is closed Stratford - Green Park for the whole
weekend as that makes access from East London rather a slog. I feel a
long ride on a 69 bus coming on.

--
Paul C