Angel station to become exit-only at weekends as TfL assesses escalator renewal

Weekend access plan

Transport for London (TfL) says Angel Tube station will become exit-only on weekends and bank holidays from 2 January 2027, with no end date yet set. Passengers will still be able to leave the station during those periods, and weekday access is expected to remain unchanged. TfL says the restriction is intended to reduce use of the station’s ageing escalators while it considers their future. [1]

Renewal options under review

Angel has two banks of escalators. Those between the ticket hall and mid-concourse are more than 60 metres long, making them the longest on the Tube network, according to TfL. One escalator in that bank has been out of service since April 2026, leaving two operating. TfL says the station would have to close if both remaining escalators in the bank were unavailable at once. [1]

For lift and escalator professionals, the announcement illustrates how an operator can change station access while assessing a difficult asset renewal. TfL says design work on replacing the escalators is due to begin this autumn, but it has not announced a replacement contract or completion date. [1]