London Overground rail project scoops award

Date: 5/10/2011

Work to upgrade the North London Railway has been recognised at the National Rail Awards 2011.

Transport for London (TfL) reports that the scheme, which has taken three years and cost £550 million, scooped the prize for Project of the Year at the industry event.

Part of the London Overground, the area that has undergone the upgrade has benefitted from longer platforms, new trains, increased capacity and more frequent services.

TfL, the Department for Transport (DFT), the Olympic Delivery Authority, Network Rail and the Stratford Transport Implementation Group funded the project and the route looks set to prove integral once the 2012 Games kick off next summer.

These efforts already appear to be paying dividends, with weekly journeys on the Clapham Junction and Richmond routes rising from 600,000 ahead of December 2010 to a record high of more than one million in July.

Mike Brown, Managing Director of London Rail, said: "The upgrade is now delivering real and tangible benefits for passengers and has created a legacy far in advance of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympics Games."

The DFT announced yesterday (October 4th) it has awarded almost £10 million to a scheme to improve Reading Train Station, which will include installing secure, step-free pedestrian access.

Posted by Mary Treen