Leyton Underground Station upgrade works to begin this month

People who live, work, or study in Waltham Forest will soon benefit from improvements to Leyton Tube station as work begins to install new lifts, build two new staircases and a bridge, and upgrade the ticket hall.

Preliminary work on the joint project between Transport for London (TfL), the Department for Transport (DfT), and Waltham Forest Council started in December 2024, with the main construction work to begin on 17 February 2025. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2027.

Cllr Clyde Loakes MBE, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate and Air Quality at Waltham Forest Council, said: “It’s great to see the benefits of housing growth being invested in critical local infrastructure such as Leyton Tube station, especially as we have been calling and lobbying for this upgrade for some 20 years. Waltham Forest has long championed active and sustainable travel for over a decade now. Our work is already helping to make residents healthier and the air we breathe cleaner, as we continue to make it easier and more convenient to leave the car at home.

“The council has made a long-standing commitment to the residents of Leyton and the south of the borough to improve public transport links in the area. There are currently no stations in the south of the borough that have step-free access, which puts disabled people, parents with buggies, and older residents at a huge disadvantage. That’s why the council has contributed £9m as it works with TfL, GLA and the Department for Transport to upgrade Leyton station, making it accessible for all customers alongside improved facilities.

“This is great news for Waltham Forest and a vote of confidence in our track record of success in delivering changes that deliver real benefits for everyone who lives, works,or studies here., This announcement is perfectly timed as we prepare to welcome Manchester City fans to the home of the Mighty O’s - the Gaughan Group Stadium on Brisbane Road - for the upcoming FA Cup fixture.”

The station will remain open during the works, except for a small number of weekend closures around halfway through the construction programme. These closures will be fully communicated with both stakeholders and customers ahead of time to ensure Londoners can plan journeys around the work by both TfL and Waltham Forest Council.

The upgrade of Leyton station is being jointly funded by Waltham Forest Council, the Government, and TfL, with TfL has awarded a contract to TWBN, a joint venture between Talyor Woodrow and BAM Nuttall, for the upgrade of the station, which serves the Central line. Two thousand new homes are being built near Leyton Tube station with a further 5,300 new homes proposed.

The upgraded station will provide a more comfortable and welcoming environment for people using Leyton Station, and further incentivise the use of public transport through additional capacity. 

This is in line with the council’s commitment to active transport and making Waltham Forest a net-zero borough by 2030. Sustainability upgrades also include improved drainage, the recycling of excavation materials and the use of ultra low-carbon building materials during construction. 

Further information about the upgrade of Leyton Tube station is available on the TfL website