New signalling system 'will hugely increase Tube capacity'

Date: 14/6/2011

A new signalling system has the potential to significantly boost capacity on the Underground network in the UK capital.

Transport for London has awarded a contract to upgrade signalling on the Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, District and Circle Lines to Bombardier Transportation.

It claims that the requirement for closures has been reduced and once completed, the system could allow 40 per cent of the Tube network to increase its capacity, allowing passengers to embark faster and more frequently on every sub-surface line.

Furthermore, a new fleet of 191 walk-through trains will be rolled out, all of which will be air conditioned.

Following the upgrades, capacity on the District Line will grow 24 per cent, it will rise 27 per cent on the Metropolitan Line, while on the remaining lines it will be boosted by 65 per cent.

Mayor of the capital Boris Johnson says: "This new contract will deliver the minimum amount of closures while delivering the improvements all Londoners are desperate to see."

Bombardier Transportation recently announced that as part of the GoldLinQ consortium it has won the contract to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the initial stage of the Gold Coast Rapid Transit light rail system in Queensland, Australia.

Posted by Mary Treen