Tuesday 20 Apr 2010
BLACKFRIARS STATION PROJECT USES THAMES TO TAKE THE STRAIN OFF LONDON STREETS
- Region & Route:
- | Southern
Network Rail will take more than 2000 lorry journeys off central London streets over the next two years by using river barges on the Thames to deliver and remove materials from the Blackfriars station project site.
During the life of the landmark Blackfriars project, Network Rail will bring to site via the Thames over 14,000 tonnes of materials to build the station’s new bridge deck, longer platforms and roof spanning the river. At the same time, more than 8,000 tonnes of deck and pier demolition materials will also be removed. Barges will arrive on a daily basis.
Not only does the river allow Network Rail to deliver more materials to site, more efficiently - it also complements the company’s carbon reduction agenda and helps reduce the impact the bridge construction work has on residents living alongside the railway.
Jim Crawford, Network Rail’s major programme director for the Thameslink project, said: “The landmark Blackfriars station will be the first in the capital to span the Thames, providing a direct link to the cultural centres of the South Bank for the first time.
"Working directly above the Thames, delivering and removing materials by barge, makes a lot of sense to us both practically and environmentally.”
PLA chief executive, Richard Everitt, said: "Water and rail are well regarded as the most environmentally-friendly forms of transport, so bringing them together is a winning combination. Moving building materials through the capital’s marine highway instead of London’s crowded roads will result in less pollution and congestion.
"By choosing barges, Network Rail has ensured the new Blackfriars station will have fine green credentials – not only when it’s operational, but also while it’s being built."
The congestion-busting barge operation began as a trial in late January and was developed with the Port of London Authority (PLA), Livett’s Launches and Balfour Beatty.
Materials destined for Blackfriars are loaded onto barges at Thames Warf, near Blackwall and opposite the O2 Arena. Each barge takes approximately 75 minutes to reach the site where the new steel work will be lifted by crawler crane onto the bridge deck.
Notes to editors
About the Blackfriars station redevelopment
The redeveloped station will be the first to span the River Thames, with a new station built on the South Bank for the first time in 120 years, giving passengers direct access to key local attractions including the Globe Theatre and Tate Modern;
The north station will be completely redeveloped to create a spacious and airy entrance and concourse featuring improved interchange facilities with London Underground services;
The London Underground station will be significantly enhanced;
By the end of 2011 the station will be able to handle longer 12 car trains for the first time with significantly more trains stopping at the station every hour, meaning more seats and better journeys for passengers.
About the Thameslink Programme
Network Rail’s £5.5bn congestion-busting Thameslink Programme will increase service capacity and frequency on one of London’s busiest and fastest growing passenger routes;
Will upgrade a crucial railway artery running through London from St Pancras in the north, to Blackfriars and London Bridge in the south;
It will significantly increase the number of rail services between Brighton and Bedford, delivering benefits for passengers and the UK economy;
Reduce pressure on key London Underground services by expanding the Thameslink network to include extra stations, allowing trains to travel direct to more destinations (e.g. Cambridge to Gatwick direct);
Major reconstruction at three key stations (Blackfriars, Farringdon and London Bridge) will improve the passenger environment and act as a catalyst for regeneration in some of London’s most deprived areas.
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We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.
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