Ashurst advises TfL on DLR rail franchise

Global law firm Ashurst has advised long-term client Transport for London ('TfL') on a new eight-year contract with KeolisAmey for the operation and maintenance of the DLR, a franchise they have successfully run for the past 10 years.

The new franchise, which is due to start on 1 April 2025, was awarded to KeolisAmey following a competitive tendering process with the new contract focused on delivering a number of key improvements to help deliver a better customer experience and meet future projected demand for services.

With more than 90 million journeys made each year, the DLR is the busiest light railway in the UK. It serves a growing employment centre and cultural hub at Stratford, allowing people from across southeast London to reach new jobs in east London without the need to travel through Zone 1. It also serves Canary Wharf, a vitally important centre for the financial and professional service industries, where it links with the Tube network and the Elizabeth line.

The DLR operates across six Opportunity Areas in London, which have the potential to provide more than 124,000 homes and 200,000 jobs. There are around 45,000 of these homes either already under construction or with planning permission within walking distance of the DLR.  The new train programme will deliver additional capacity that is essential to support further sustainable growth beyond that already permitted, particularly in parts of the Royal Docks and the Isle of Dogs where the DLR is such a vital transport option. 

The Ashurst team worked closely with the TfL Legal in-house team and was led by partners James Illingworth and Terence van Poortvliet, supported by associates Ali Clift, Ben Shilson-Josling, Oscar Jeremy, Robert Booth and Elizabeth Hoyle. Counsel Ed McNeil also advised.