Media centre

Wednesday 20 Jan 2010

MORE SEATS FOR PASSENGERS ON EAST GRINSTEAD LINE

Region & Route:

| Southern

Work is starting which will provide more seats for thousands of passengers who travel on the busy route between East Grinstead and Victoria.

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 12-car trains to operate.

Fiona Taylor, Network Rail's route director for Sussex, said: "Longer trains will make a real difference to people's journeys on the East Grinstead line, easing congestion and providing a more pleasant travelling experience for passengers.  There is likely to be some short-term disruption while we upgrade the railway, but the long term benefits will make a real difference to the people who use the trains on this route.  We thank people in advance for their patience and understanding while we carry out this important work.”

The first of the improvement works are due to start in February 2010.  These will involve lengthening platforms at Sanderstead, Upper Warlingham, Oxted and East Grinstead stations.

Owing to the additional energy requirements of longer trains there will also be a large programme of works to upgrade the power supply, which will take place between summer 2010 and summer 2011.  New cable will be installed along the 30km of track between South Croydon and East Grinstead, crossing four viaducts and passing through three tunnels along the way.  As much of the work as possible will take place overnight when there are no trains running, however, it will be necessary for some of the work to be carried out at weekends when demand for rail travel is lower.  Alternative transport arrangements will be put in place on these occasions.

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 on the East Grinstead Line starting from December 2011. The work has been planned in a way which will keep disruption to a minimum which is great news for our passengers.”

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.

East Grinstead station has been identified as one of the 150 medium sized stations in England and Wales to benefit from the national stations improvement programme, a £150m Department for Transport backed scheme to deliver station improvements. Plans have been developed for the station which amongst other things include a new station building, better integration of the bus terminus and taxi rank, increased storage for bicycles, replacement of dilapidated platform shelters and improved links to the Bluebell Railway.  This work is scheduled for completion in 2011.