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Friday 13 Jan 2012

NETWORK RAIL TO SHOW COUNCILLORS THAMESLINK INVESTMENT

Region & Route:

| Southern

Councillors from St Albans City and District Council are set to see first hand major improvements being carried out on the Thameslink route on Tuesday January 17th.

Network Rail route managing director, Martin Frobisher, has invited councillors to see a number of infrastructure upgrades including new power supply arrangements in Borehamwood, new signalling equipment in West Hampstead and a new substation at Elstree to deliver a better and more reliable railway.

The improvements are part of the £6bn Thameslink upgrade, which has allowed longer trains to use the route. The first of the longer trains came into service in December 2011, providing passengers with more seats on this busy commuter route.

The visit was arranged after a council meeting at the end of November where performance on the Thameslink route was discussed by councillors, Network Rail and First Capital Connect.

Mr Frobisher said: "The investment we are making on this route is one of the largest in the country and will improve facilities for people who commute and deliver a more reliable, better railway. We will work to be more responsive to the issues affecting the train companies and their passengers.

“Now that Network Rail has devolved more authority to each route, we are working more closely with train and freight operators to make decisions more quickly, delivering further efficiencies and greater passenger improvements.”

Over the last four years, Network Rail has lengthened 41 platforms at 12 stations on the Midland main line between Bedford and West Hampstead by more than 2½ miles in total. The longer platforms will enable the busiest trains at the busiest times of the day to be increased from eight cars to 12, resulting in a 50% boost in capacity on those services.

In this first phase of the Thameslink programme, Network Rail has extended platforms at 12 stations north of London on the Thameslink route: Bedford, Flitwick, Harlington, Leagrave, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway, Harpenden, St Albans, Radlett, Elstree & Borehamwood, Mill Hill Broadway and West Hampstead Thameslink.

Network Rail is meeting with Anne Main, MP for St Albans, on January 25 and attending a council scrutiny committee on January 26 to discuss improvements on the Thameslink route.