Media centre

Wednesday 29 Jan 2020

Overwhelming support for proposals to upgrade Norwood Junction station

Region & Route:

Southern

Proposals to upgrade Norwood Junction station to allow trains to run more reliably and more frequently have received 94 per cent support from passengers, residents and businesses in the area.

Network Rail is proposing to remodel tracks and platforms to allow more trains to run through and stop at the station in the future. Currently, stopping and fast trains share the same tracks, meaning delays to slow services have a knock-on impact on fast services and vice versa. The current platforms at Norwood Junction are also too narrow and too short to accommodate modern 12 car trains.

The proposed improvements would provide a major boost to reliability and create the capacity for more services to run by providing separate tracks for stopping and non-stopping services and four full length 12 car platforms. 

The proposed station redevelopment would also provide the opportunity to make Norwood Junction station step-free for the first time, improving accessibility for those with reduced mobility and those travelling with a pushchair or luggage.

John Halsall, Managing Director of Network Rail’s Southern region, said: “I’m pleased that our proposals for Norwood Junction station have been well received by passengers and local people. The proposals are a key part of our long terms plans to unblock the railway bottleneck in the Croydon area to reduce delays and overcrowding on the Brighton Main Line.

“Taking onboard feedback from local people and passengers, we are continuing to develop those plans in detail and look forward to speaking with the public again at our next round of consultation this summer.”

Councillor Stuart King, Cabinet Lead for Environment and Transport at Croydon Council, said: “We are supportive of Network Rail’s efforts to improve their service for our residents and I’m pleased to see so many people engaging with the survey. Improvements to the station layout and tracks are essential if we are to offer residents a more reliable and inclusive service, including more stopping services at Norwood Junction.”

Sarah Jones, Member of Parliament for Croydon Central, said: “I’ve long supported this important upgrade that I know will be of great help to the thousands of people who use Norwood Junction station every day. Investment in improving accessibility at this vital transport hub is particularly welcome and I look forward to the positive impact that the completion of this project will have for residents.”

Steve Reed, Member of Parliament for Croydon North said: “I’m delighted Norwood Junction is at long last getting the investment it needs.  Everyone living locally will welcome the improved public transport links to the rest of London and beyond.  Disabled passengers and mums with pushchairs have long campaigned for the station to become step-free so I’m particularly excited this will now happen.”

Steve O’Connell, the London Assembly Member for Croydon and Sutton, said: “It’s fantastic news that Norwood Junction Station is getting the upgrade that it needs and that local residents deserve. A great many people have been campaigning for these changes for a long time and they will welcome this crucial part of improving reliability and increasing capacity of the rail network in Croydon.”     

Govia Thameslink Railway Infrastructure Director Keith Jipps, said: "With train punctuality improving and Southern and Thameslink recording some of their best-ever passenger satisfaction results, we're delighted to see such overwhelming support for this project which will improve services further."

Stephen Miles, Principal Planner, Transport for London, said: “Network Rail’s proposal to upgrade Norwood Junction station complements TfL’s plans for transforming rail services in south London. We have been working closely with Network Rail in developing these plans and will continue to do so.”

Proposals to upgrade Norwood Junction station are a key part of Network Rail’s long-term plans to unblock the bottleneck in the Croydon area and are likely to be developed through Network Rail’s existing railway powers. Proposals to rebuild East Croydon station and remodel the railway in the Selhurst triangle will require work to take place outside the railway boundary and will therefore require a Transport and Works Act Order. Network Rail’s proposals to unblock the railway bottleneck are currently funded for development only.

The proposals to upgrade Norwood Junction station were presented by Network Rail at public information sessions in summer 2019:

• 94 per cent of attendees said they either ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ with the plans.
• Only 2 percent disagreed with the scheme, while 4 per cent were undecided
• 239 people attended the information events, 144 people responded online.

Key themes raised:

• Support for the proposal (83)
• Suggestions for station design and platform layout (38)
• Improving train services (36)
• Impact on passengers? (21)
• Requests for more information (17)