RAIL MINISTER Theresa Villiers has denied claims that the signing of the contract for more than 1,100 Thameslink vehicles has been delayed until next year because of the financial crisis in the Eurozone.
The contract had been due to be confirmed before Christmas after Siemens had been named as preferred bidder in June.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow alleged that it has slipped into 2012 because the Eurozone financial crisis was making it harder for Siemens to raise money to finance the Thameslink deal at a suitable rate.
But Ms Villiers, speaking exclusively to Railnews, said Mr Crow was mistaken.
She explained: "It's not the problems in the Eurozone. The delay has occurred because of problems in getting planning permission for depot extensions, particularly at Hornsey. I think those problems are just about solved now, but it has added to the time taken."
However, when pressed to name the date when the £1.4 billion contract will be signed, Ms Villiers would say only that it would be 'in the New Year', and declined to be more specific.
Ms Villiers was speaking during a visit to the new Farringdon ticket hall today, which opened at the same time as the first 12-car trains went into regular service on the Thameslink route across London between Brighton and Bedford.
First Capital Connect is now running six services with the longer trains in the morning and evening peaks, although there are no 12-car trains at weekends as yet.
The Moorgate branch had to be closed to allow the construction of 12-car platforms at Farringdon, where the southbound platform now extends across the site of the former junction.
Today also marked the opening of a modernised north bank entrance at Blackfriars station, to complement a new south bank entrance which opened earlier this month.