Pontoon Dock DLR station

Layout and facilities

Like most DLR stations, Pontoon Dock is designed for frequent automated services and straightforward boarding. Facilities are simple and focused on accessibility: platforms for trains running both directions, clear signage, ticketing machines, and level or ramped access for passengers with reduced mobility. The station layout emphasizes efficient passenger flow rather than large station buildings.

History and context

The station was introduced as part of a wider programme to extend the DLR network into previously under-served east London docklands. Its name recalls a former dock facility in the area. The addition of the Woolwich Arsenal branch provided improved public transport connections for local communities, supporting housing and commercial development along the Thames and within Silvertown.

Services and importance

Pontoon Dock links residents and workers to the wider Docklands and central London via interchange points elsewhere on the DLR and the London Underground. It is typically used by commuters, shoppers and visitors to the riverside, helping reduce car dependency and support sustainable travel within Newham. Timetables vary by time of day and are managed as part of the DLR network.

Notable facts and nearby places

• The station lies on the Woolwich Arsenal branch of the DLR.
• It serves the eastern edge of Silvertown and surrounding redevelopment sites.
• Administratively it is in the London Borough of Newham and is in Travelcard Zone 3.

Pontoon Dock is an example of transport-led regeneration: its presence has improved local accessibility and underpinned new housing and business growth while maintaining links to the historic docklands landscape.