Media centre

Wednesday 20 Jan 2010

MORE CAPACITY FOR PASSENGERS SOUTH OF THE CAPITAL

Region & Route:

| Southern

Work is starting which will provide more seats for thousands of passengers who travel on some of the busiest routes from the south of the capital into Victoria and London Bridge.

Over the next four years, Network Rail will be making a number of improvements to the infrastructure, including lengthening some station platforms and upgrading the power supply, which will allow longer trains to operate on the south London metro network.

Fiona Taylor, Network Rail's route director for Sussex, said: "This is great news for passengers. The improvements we are making over the next four years will increase seats on suburban trains into Victoria by 20% and London Bridge by 12% during peak hours. This will make a real difference to people's journeys, easing congestion and providing a more pleasant travelling experience for passengers."

James Burt, Southern’s service delivery director said: “Once this work is complete, we will be in a much better position to be able to increase seating capacity significantly into central London starting from 2011. The work has been planned in a way which will keep disruption to a minimum which is great news for our passengers.”

The following routes will benefit from longer trains:

- London Bridge to Victoria via Streatham Hill
Increasing to 10-car trains during the peak from December 2013

- Victoria/London Bridge to East Grinstead
Increasing to 12-car trains during the peak from December 2011

- Victoria to Epsom Downs via Norbury
Increasing to 10-car trains during the peak from December 2013

- London Bridge to West Croydon via Norwood Junction
Increasing to 10-car trains during the peak from December 2011

- Victoria to Epsom via Hackbridge
Increasing to 10-car trains during the peak from December 2013

As part of this programme of works, and for the first time in the South East, Network Rail will be trialling innovative building techniques and materials to construct the platform extensions which will allow construction to be quicker and less disruptive for passengers.  New lightweight materials, including fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) and expanded polystyrene (EPS), are also more versatile and cost effective than traditional brick or steel-based alternatives.