A NEW £155 million fleet of Electrostar trains is to be built by Derby trainmaker Bombardier to boost capacity on National Express East Anglia’s Stansted Express, West Anglia and some of the company’s Cambridge services from December.

The 30 four-car electric trains, to be owned by Lloyds TSB General Leasing, will be supplemented by 68 refurbished Class 321 coaches and provide a total of around 11,000 extra morning-peak seats into London Liverpool Street by the end of 2011 – an increase of 14 per cent.

The extra 68 coaches will provide longer trains on Great Eastern routes from Ipswich, Clacton, Colchester, Chelms-ford and Southend to the London terminal and also help boost capacity on services between Norwich and the capital, where loco-hauled services still dominate.

As part of its overall investment plans, National Express East Anglia will also increase car parking capacity at four stations, install two addition-al carriage washing machines and reinstate the former depot at Clacton as a maintenance facility for the enlarged fleet.

In addition, Network Rail will undertake a programme of platform lengthening and other infrastructure improvement, while Stansted Airport Ltd will fund lengthening of platforms at Stansted Airport station.

Transport secretary Geoff Hoon said: “This is one of the biggest changes to have been negotiated to an existing franchise since privatisation, and marks our continued commitment to invest in long-term railway improvement projects.

“It will be of major benefit to passengers, help safeguard UK manufacturing jobs and create job opportunities with NXEA.”

Chairman and chief country representative of Bombardier Transportation Colin Walton said: “We are extremely pleased that our Electrostar trains have been chosen to welcome visitors arriving into the UK via Stansted Airport, and this order helps cement further our successful and long-term relationship with National Express.”

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