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Monday 22 Feb 2010

NEW STATION BUILDING AT WEST HAMPSTEAD THAMESLINK: WORK BEGINS

Region & Route:

| Southern

The congestion-busting new entrance at West Hampstead’s Thameslink station moved a step closer today with the start of work to create a new tree-lined walkway.

Incorporating existing mature trees and including new cycle racks, the walkway will offer a much wider pavement and provide a more pleasant experience for rail users and residents. In addition, the removal of two commercial units owned by Network Rail on the corner of Iverson Road and West End Lane will eliminate a notorious pedestrian pinch-point and help improve the safety of the junction for all pedestrians. 

The walkway will lead up to the new station building on Iverson Road, which will increase passenger capacity, ease congestion and improve the interchange with West Hampstead Overground and Underground stations. The project will also complete the new footbridge installed earlier this year, allowing step-free access to all platforms. Both the station and footbridge will be fully operational by late 2010.

Jim Crawford, Network Rail’s Thameslink major programme director, said: “The congestion-busting Thameslink upgrade will give passengers what they want – longer trains, more seats and better stations. Our plans for West Hampstead Thameslink station and the surrounding area will benefit passengers, residents and the environment. Once complete, both the station and station approach will be brighter, safer and able to handle the extra passengers that the new, longer trains will bring.”

Mature trees
The new widened pavement will incorporate twelve protected lime trees – however to do this some mature trees are being removed. In total twelve of the fourteen protected trees on the site will be retained, with a specialist contractor appointed to ensure their wellbeing during construction and beyond.

Bird boxes
Network Rail has worked closely with the London Borough of Camden to limit the impact on both the local community and the environment. The vegetation work will be completed before the bird nesting season begins in March, when bird and bat boxes will be installed to support local wildlife. An ecologist will be on site during the vegetation work to check for any birds’ nests and advise on the position of nesting boxes. The embankment will also be cleared of any litter.

Living roof
The new station building itself will benefit from a ‘living roof’ planted with flowering sedum plants. Sedum provides an attractive environment for insects and birds, absorbs carbon dioxide and helps retain rainwater meaning that no irrigation is needed. As well as reducing the carbon footprint of the building, the living roof will also provide an attractive view from offices and residential properties on Iverson Road.

Longer platforms
Platform extension works at the station are due to be complete by December 2010, allowing trains to be extended from their current eight car maximum to twelve cars from December 2011. This will be closely followed with the introduction of a completely new fleet of next generation trains entering service from 2015.