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Kelly pledges 14,500 more seats for busiest routes
Nicholas Cecil, Political Correspondent9 Apr 2008
Commuters on one of London's busiest routes were given the promise today of nearly 400 extra carriages to tackle overcrowding.
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly announced another 14,500 seats for passengers on Thameslink who may also benefit from wi-fi on more services.
The fleet of carriages on the routes - which include the Brighton to Bedford line - will rise from 720 to around 1,100 by the end of 2015, with many trains increasing from eight to 12 carriages from spring 2012.
All rolling stock will be bought by private firms for an expected £1.4billion to lease to the train operating companies.
Announcing the latest development in the Government's £5.5 billion upgrade to Thameslink, Ms Kelly said: "This will mean 14,500 more seats on some of the most overcrowded commuter routes into London, improving journeys for passengers on the line from Brighton to Bedford and other Thameslink routes."
The additional rolling stock is another victory for the Evening Standard's a Seat for Every Commuter campaign.
The new trains will operate through central London between King's Cross St Pancras and Blackfriars.
Commuter groups including Passenger Focus and London TravelWatch played a role in ensuring passengers' views were taken into account during the design of the new trains which could include wi-fi.
Anthony Smith, chief executive of Passenger Focus, said: "The research into what passengers need from new trains on the Thameslink route is ground-breaking and positive."
The upgrading of the network aims to tackle the current bottlenecks at London Bridge by the end of 2015 so 18 Thameslink trains per hour serve this station.
Six more trains per hour running via Elephant & Castle will increase capacity through central London to 24 trains an hour between Blackfriars and St Pancras International, with the majority of them being 12-carriages long.
First Capital Connect, Southeastern and Southern run trains on Thameslink-which is used by 130,000 people a day and has one of the worst records for overcrowding. Half the passengers are regularly unable to get on their train because it is so full, according to a poll.
The new energy-efficient trains will aim to be more environmentally friendly and cause less wear and tear on the tracks which officials stressed should reduce disruptive repair and maintenance work.
The first new trains should be tested in autumn 2011.
Current Thameslink rolling stock will be released to other parts of the network to provide extra capacity and tackle overcrowding.
The Brighton-Bedford service will also take delivery of 44 new carriages this year. It will mean more rush-hour services having eight carriages.
Reader views (7)
For clarification, this project is being led by central government/Network Rail, NOT First Capital Connect or Ken/TfL (although the former will be intimately involved in it, not so much the latter).
December 2015 is a long way away but there will be some 12-car trains from December 2011.
- Edvid, Luton, UK, 09/04/2008 18:20
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Pledge? Does anyone who is running Nu Labour understand the implications of using such a promissory word?
Highly unlikely I think given the governments history.
- Jose, Wales, 09/04/2008 16:01
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More empty promises!
- Fraser, Telford Park, 09/04/2008 15:58
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I assume that this is the long-awaited implementation of the Thameslink 2000 (note the date) plan. Those of us who commute in from the south east have long been promised grandiose plans to lengthen trains and improve services. South Eastern have just announced a strategy to increase trains to 12 carriages by 2012, including lengthening the platforms. They failed to mention that this process was started in 1990 and then abandoned. So it will only be 20 years overdue when (if) it finally happens. Maybe our fares will have to rise by more than this year's 13.5% to pay for it as well.
- John Denman, Eltham, London, 09/04/2008 15:55
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They can promise what they like by 2012 because they'll be long gone by then! Funny how there's always money for new colour schemes and uniforms when franchises swap around, but never for new trains and improved services.
- Paul, London, 09/04/2008 14:33
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Who cares what he pledges now? Why did he not do anything the last 8 years? Go away Red Ken!
- Georgie, Islington, London, 09/04/2008 13:15
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Presumably this is the same 14,500 seats that First Capital Connect have been publicising since they announced their Thameslink renovations early last year? Never let it be said that Labour will jump on any old bandwagon in the vain hope of making themselves look good.
- Stan Dingup, Sutton, 09/04/2008 12:26
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