Upgrade will improve services for Wimbledon passengers
Construction work has begun at London Waterloo as part of an £800m upgrade which will improve sevices for Wimbledon passengers.
The works, which will deliver a 30% increase in peak-time capacity by 2019, involves rebuilding the former Waterloo International Terminal to allow platforms 20–24 to be brought back into use with modern facilities, new track and signalling and a spacious, accessible concourse suitable for thousands of passengers.
Platforms 1–4 will be extended to accommodate longer 10-car trains on suburban lines, serving Wimbledon, providing a significant increase in space for passengers.
In tandem with this project, a £210m fleet of brand new trains will start to be introduced from next year – providing 150 additional carriages for the network – allowing more longer trains to run to all stations.
Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond has recently met with Christian Roth, Managing Director of South West Trains at Waterloo Station to discuss the project's progress.
Mr Roth confirmed that once the initial work to the Waterloo International platforms has been completed, work can then start to extend platforms 1-4 in August next year. This will require platforms 1-9 to be closed for 24 days – which will temporarily reduce the number of trains operating. This period has been chosen to lessen the disruption caused to commuters, since the volume of train journeys made in the summer holidays is reduced.
A period of testing will follow and then the full peak fleet of longer trains will be in operation from December 2017. Mr Hammond asked about contingencies to ensure the works are completed on time.
Me Hammond said: “Continuing to invest in our local transport was a key theme of my election campaign, so I am very pleased that there is a firm timetable to deliver longer commuter trains to Waterloo. These will have a massive impact on overcrowding levels and ensure a more comfortable journey for commuters.
"I also asked Mr Roth about how South West Trains are working with Crossrail 2, and about plans for improving the Wimbledon station with either a wider concourse or a footbridge between platforms.”
Mr Roth added: “This investment will provide a 30% increase in space for passengers during the busiest times of the day – which we know will be greatly welcomed by passengers.
We will be working closely with our partners, including Network Rail and the Department for Transport, to keep passengers well informed throughout this programme of works.
“Further investment, such as Crossrail 2, will also be needed to meet the growing numbers of passengers travelling in the future and we are continuing to work with others to provide even more capacity for passengers beyond 2019.”
April 29, 2016