TfL Commissioner reveals plans to upgrade Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines
Seventh carriage added to all new Circle & Hammersmith & City trains.
Air-conditioned trains and new energy efficient features to be delivered.
Detailed plans to upgrade a third of the Tube network over the next decade and help tackle climate change were announced by the Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy today.
The Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines will get new air-conditioned trains from late 2009, together with a new signalling system and renewed track.
The improvements will bring about faster, more frequent services along with improved reliability, customer information, accessibility and enhanced safety and security.
Trains on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines will increase in size from six to seven carriages, an overall capacity increase of 17 per cent, as will those on the District line between Edgware Road and Wimbledon.
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said: "The upgrade of these lines is the next stage of Transport for London's (TfL's)investment in the renewal and improvement of London Underground.
"This upgrade will be felt by passengers every day, who will benefit from air-conditioning and extra space on the trains.
"It will also deliver major energy efficiencies which will reduce energy costs and make a positive contribution towards reducing London's CO2 use and tackling climate change."
The improvements are part of TfL's £10bn Investment Programme, to meet London's transport needs now and in future.
Tackling climate change
The work will be undertaken by Metronet Rail SSL and is the biggest single package of improvement works planned on the Tube under TfL's investment plans.
London Underground (LU) announced that it is in the early stages of investigating increasing the power supply on the sub-surface network from 630v to 750v - the same as the National Rail network.
This would deliver even greater energy efficiencies and would also contribute towards the reduction of heat levels on the sub-surface network.
The new trains will also have regenerative braking which means they will use 20-25 per cent less energy than current trains on the sub-surface network, making a real contribution towards tackling CO2 emissions.
Longer carriages
Regenerative braking works by recycling power production from the action of the train braking and puts it back in the power network.
This is already a feature on Central, Northern and Jubilee line trains.
Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy said: "This is the biggest single package of improvements for these lines since they opened in 1863, running over the same route from Paddington to Farringdon they do today.
"Over one million people use these lines each day and they will all benefit.
Shorter journey times
"All lines will get new trains, with the Circle, Hammersmith & City line and part of the District line, which serve some of the busiest sections on the Tube, getting new longer seven-carriage trains."
LU Managing Director Tim O'Toole said: "The new trains will also have air conditioning and deliver more reliable and comfortable journeys for passengers.
"Shorter journey times will be delivered through a combination of track improvements, a new signalling system and reduced boarding times at stations.
"A common train fleet for all these lines will help us deliver a better service to passengers.
"It will provide more robust and reliable trains, with more integrated and flexible services on all of the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines."
Seventh carriage added to all new Circle & Hammersmith & City trains.
Air-conditioned trains and new energy efficient features to be delivered.
Detailed plans to upgrade a third of the Tube network over the next decade and help tackle climate change were announced by the Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy today.
The Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines will get new air-conditioned trains from late 2009, together with a new signalling system and renewed track.
The improvements will bring about faster, more frequent services along with improved reliability, customer information, accessibility and enhanced safety and security.
Trains on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines will increase in size from six to seven carriages, an overall capacity increase of 17 per cent, as will those on the District line between Edgware Road and Wimbledon.
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said: "The upgrade of these lines is the next stage of Transport for London's (TfL's)investment in the renewal and improvement of London Underground.
"This upgrade will be felt by passengers every day, who will benefit from air-conditioning and extra space on the trains.
"It will also deliver major energy efficiencies which will reduce energy costs and make a positive contribution towards reducing London's CO2 use and tackling climate change."
The improvements are part of TfL's £10bn Investment Programme, to meet London's transport needs now and in future.
Tackling climate change
The work will be undertaken by Metronet Rail SSL and is the biggest single package of improvement works planned on the Tube under TfL's investment plans.
London Underground (LU) announced that it is in the early stages of investigating increasing the power supply on the sub-surface network from 630v to 750v - the same as the National Rail network.
This would deliver even greater energy efficiencies and would also contribute towards the reduction of heat levels on the sub-surface network.
The new trains will also have regenerative braking which means they will use 20-25 per cent less energy than current trains on the sub-surface network, making a real contribution towards tackling CO2 emissions.
Longer carriages
Regenerative braking works by recycling power production from the action of the train braking and puts it back in the power network.
This is already a feature on Central, Northern and Jubilee line trains.
Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy said: "This is the biggest single package of improvements for these lines since they opened in 1863, running over the same route from Paddington to Farringdon they do today.
"Over one million people use these lines each day and they will all benefit.
Shorter journey times
"All lines will get new trains, with the Circle, Hammersmith & City line and part of the District line, which serve some of the busiest sections on the Tube, getting new longer seven-carriage trains."
LU Managing Director Tim O'Toole said: "The new trains will also have air conditioning and deliver more reliable and comfortable journeys for passengers.
"Shorter journey times will be delivered through a combination of track improvements, a new signalling system and reduced boarding times at stations.
"A common train fleet for all these lines will help us deliver a better service to passengers.
"It will provide more robust and reliable trains, with more integrated and flexible services on all of the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines."
