The exceptionally delayed new entrance to Bank tube station looks increasingly close to being opened at last.

The new entrance is being provided as part of the planning permission for the massive Bloomberg groundscraper that was recently completed, and will provide a direct link to the Waterloo & City line platforms.

It’ll offer a much faster way out of the platforms, and help reduce crowding at the smaller platform exits that lead from Bank station’s ticket hall.

Originally expected to open in late 2015, the opening was pushed back to late 2017 due to delays in completing the concrete box thanks to one of the recent year’s most impressive archaeological discoveries.

However, although the box was eventually completed by the construction of the Bloomberg building, there has been a long list of unexplained delays to works being carried out by London Underground to turn the concrete box into a functioning tube station entrance.

Last October, the entrance was due to open on 21st December, and as that deadline passed, it was pushed back to February due to fire door certification issues, while in in January, that was pushed back to “mid 2018”. Come March, it was due to open in May 2018, and then pushed back a month to sometime in June.

Now, the TfL website is suggesting August 2018.

Yet, at last, signs are going up that indicate that the entrance is in the final stages of being readied for paying passengers.

The entrance down at the Waterloo & City line platforms has looks increasingly finished.

April 2017

June 2018

Up at street level, modest changes have taken place outside the station.

Feb 2018

June 2018

This pole which has long been suspiciously like it’s in need of a tube roundel, has now gained one.

April 2018

June 2018

Inside the station, as seen from the outside, they look like they are in the finishing off stage.

April 2018

June 2018

It’s been a very long time coming, but the £30 million new entrance for Bank tube station looks like it is at last on its final approach to opening. In a few weeks time, this is what will greet people using the Waterloo & City line to get up to street level.

August 2018?

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9 comments
  1. NL says:

    Snap! Walked past today as well hoping it would be open but yeah looks weeks away. Hoping worth the wait.

  2. Melvyn says:

    Given that the Waterloo and City Line only serves Bank and Waterloo then this step free access at Bank will only become useful for wheelchair users when step free access becomes available at the Waterloo end .

    I remember that during the days of the Eurostar terminal I believe this was possible but what is the position today ?

    I did read that Mayor Khan recently made funding available to deal with accessibility of Waterloo and City Line at Waterloo but no details were given and even whether this will only become available when the terminal reopens later this year !

    What a pity the new Walbrook entrance did not have an additional level to serve eastbound platform of Cannon Street Circle and District Line which would also have created step free interchange between these lines and Waterloo and City Line .

  3. James Miller says:

    When the new entrance is open, surely the time has come to open the Waterloo and City Line seven days a week.

    Perhaps it could become a Night Drain?

    I live in the Western part of Hackney and my easiest route to Waterloo is to get a bus to Bank and use the Drain. TfL’s recommended route of using the Overground to Canada Water and Jubilee is longer and more crowded.

  4. ChrisMitch says:

    £30million for a single new entrance to a tube station that already exists? Wow – money doesn’t go very far these days…

    • Melvyn says:

      Don’t worry the entrance was paid for by the developer as creating an entrance and building a new building involved digging a big hole so it’s worth goes a bit deeper to the Waterloo and City Line . The real shame was not building a short Subway to connect to eastbound Circle and District Lines with an additional stop for the lift and splitting stairs at Subway level . The escalators could be as now .

      In fact if London is to get a modern tube then taking advantage of redevelopment to build new fully accessible entrances with larger booking halls and extra escalators or stairs needs to be taken and has recently been done with Cube development at Paddington Station which will enlarge Bakerloo Line booking hall and provide better access.

  5. Andrew Gwilt says:

    Hopefully it wont be postponed and pushed forward to October or November this year. Please TfL don’t delay it and postpone it.

  6. Eleven says:

    November 2018.

    • H says:

      Yep, looks like it will be according to this: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/pic-20180703-item05-q4-ipr-web.pdf

    • H says:

      Also just noticed at the end of that document:

      “Following a previous delay caused by complexity in the design, manufacture and installation of the fire doors on the connections to the existing station, the design and build contractor has not progressed the station systems integration and upgrade work. The contractor has advised that it was not within scope, despite actions showing there were plans to do the work. The late notification of this has significantly impacted the programme.

      We have instructed the main contractor to appoint specialist subcontractors to progress this work, however there is a risk that the agreement of terms and conditions may take longer than expected. We are working closely with all parties to try to prevent any further delay.”

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