A representative from Network Rail will be in attendance and provide an update on London Bridge rebuilding works and affect on local commuters.

Mr. Chris Curtis, Senior Programme Manager, Network Rail Kent gave a short presentation on the improvement works at London Bridge Rail Station.  The Chairman requested that he supply a brief summary of the presentation which is detailed below:

London Bridge

Network Rail is to spend approximately £2bn completely rebuilding London Bridge station, including all the approach tracks, as part of the Thameslink Programme.

Why?

a) to increase the number of trains that are able to run to and through London Bridge and the Thameslink core route at peak times

b) building more through lines and platforms such that all trains routed via London Bridge will call there (currently approx 14% of the morning peak service running through London Bridge does not call)

c) two of these new lines / platforms will be exclusively for Thameslink services, offering new journey opportunities from across South London, Sussex and Kent through the Thameslink route to Blackfriars, Farringdon, St Pancras and destinations north of London - either on a direct train or with one simple change at London Bridge.

d) segregate the service flows such that, for example, trains to the Thameslink route are operated completely independently from the Charing Cross route - this will reduce congestion and knock-on delays

e) considerably increase and improve the passenger facilities at London Bridge, including the construction of what will be the largest passenger concourse in the UK.

How?

The project is well underway, being roughly 20% through a six year programme. To date much of the work has been out of sight, beneath the viaduct that London Bridge sits on, or up on the roof. The most visible part has been the early construction of a new viaduct through Borough Market, a particularly sensitive location.

Going forward, the entire station will be demolished then rebuilt in stages. New bridges and flyovers will be built east and west of the station, and the rail infrastructure (tracks and signalling) on the approaches will be replaced at the same time.

To do this, parts of the station out of use for up to 18 months at a time while it is rebuilt. The work will be done largely without significant alterations to train services; however there will be a handful of occasions at Christmas and Summer holiday periods when larger parts of the station will have to close for a few working days. On these occasions some services will not run to London Bridge, and these will be advertised up to a year in advance so that passengers can plan alternative routes. From the year 2015, there will also be extended periods where certain services will pass through London Bridge without calling, again this will be advertised up to a year before it happens, and alternatives publicised.  

The Challenge:

The London Bridge rebuild is the single largest project ever undertaken on the 'live' railway in this country. It is a huge logistical exercise in a constrained worksite, and it will be done for the most part whilst train services are running normally. Broadly speaking it is comparable to trying to rebuild two Wembley stadiums, in central London, whilst trying to hold football matches at each one twice a day. By far the biggest challenge is building this in such a way that our customers don't notice - until it is finished of course!

It is a huge challenge, and there is going to be much hard work over the next 5 years or so. However the end result will be much improved train services, and a station that will be amongst the best - probably THE best - in the world.