THE ALLIANCE of South West Trains and Network Rail has announced plans to bring all the former international platforms at Waterloo back into use. The SWT fleet is also to be enlarged to allow more ten-car trains to be run.
The Alliance had already said that one of the five international platforms would be used from next spring, but the new plans would cater for almost 10,000 more peak-time passengers at Waterloo by 2019, and could involve a staged programme of additional, longer trains, platform extensions and re-openings, as well as signalling, track and power supply improvements.
The details have been worked out by the management team at the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance, working in response to the Department for Transport’s rail investment strategy. The Alliance said the intention was to 'future-proof one of the country’s key commuter networks'.
Although Platform 20 is due to be used again from the spring, Platforms 21 to 24 could also be brought back into passenger service. Platforms 1 to 4 are also likely to be extended.
The first phase of the plan will see the procurement of more than 135 additional vehicles for the SWT fleet, which will run in 10-car formation on suburban routes. This procurement has started, and depending on the proposal selected, the first additional trains could be delivered in 2016.
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “Britain needs a strong economy if it wants to compete globally and effective transport links are absolutely key to that. This is why the Government has embarked on one of the biggest programmes of rail modernisation ever.
“It’s also vital to cost effectively create additional capacity at Waterloo - the capital’s busiest railway station - making the proposals from South West Trains and Network Rail doubly important.”
Tim Shoveller, managing director of the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance, added: “Our network is currently one of the busiest in Europe carrying almost 210 million passengers a year.
“We already have confirmed plans are in place to deliver improvements in capacity over the next two years. However, the huge success of the railway in the UK means it will get significantly busier in the next two decades and beyond. There is also a need to invest in the infrastructure to improve the daily reliability for today's customers.
"The Alliance between South West Trains and Network Rail means we are working more closely together, thinking big and creating plans for the long-term to deliver significant improvements for passengers.
“The blueprint we are developing in partnership with the Department for Transport is a massive programme of work and requires significant investment. These plans will greatly improve what is a key part of the country's transport infrastructure and ensure our rail network continues to support economic growth."