Railways: Thameslink infrastructure project Standard Note: SN1537 Last updated: 26 January 2012 Author: Louise Butcher Section Business and Transport This note describes the Thameslink infrastructure project, including information on how the scheme got off the ground, construction issues and the policy of successive government towards the project. It does not deal with the controversial Thameslink rolling project to purchase new trains to run on the route. This is covered in HC Library note SN3146. The re- let of the Thameslink passenger franchise is covered in SN1343, both available on the Railways topical page of the Parliament website. The Thameslink project involves electrification, signalling and new track works. This will increase capacity, reduce journey times and generally expand the current Thameslink route through central London and across the South East of England. On completion in 2018, up to 24 trains per hour will operate through central London, reducing the need for interchange onto London Underground services. The project dates back to the Conservative Government in the mid-1990s. It underwent a lengthy public inquiry process under the Labour Government and has been continued by the Coalition Government. However, the scheme will not be complete until 2018 – 14 years later than its supporters had hoped when the scheme was initially proposed. Contents 1 Where things stand: Thameslink in 2012 2 2 Scheme generation and development, 1995-2007 3 2.1 Transport and Works Act (TWA) Order application, 1997 5 2.2 Revised TWA Order application, 1999 6 2.3 Public Inquiry, 2000-2006 6 2.4 New Thameslink station at St Pancras 7 This information is provided to Members of Parliament in support of their parliamentary duties and is not intended to address the specific circumstances of any particular individual. It should not be relied upon as being up to date; the law or policies may have changed since it was last updated; and it should not be relied upon as legal or professional advice or as a substitute for it. A suitably qualified professional should be consulted if specific advice or information is required. This information is provided subject to our general terms and conditions which are available online or may be provided on request in hard copy. Authors are available to discuss the content of this briefing with Members and their staff, but not with the general public. 1 Where things stand: Thameslink in 2012 As explained below: it took a long time for the Thameslink project to get off the ground, largely because of delays to planning approval and public inquiries. This is despite the fact that it has had the backing of first the Conservative, then Labour, and now the Coalition governments. For a whole host of reasons, the project – initially scheduled for completion in 2004, will not be fully complete until 2018. In recognition of this, in late 2005 Network Rail rebranded the scheme, removing the now obsolete ‘2000’ from the name of the Thameslink project. There were concerns, under both the previous and present governments, that the scheme might never be completed, largely for financial reasons. However, both Labour and the Coalition confirmed their support for the scheme. For example, in July 2007 the Labour Government published a White Paper on rail, which stated that the total cost of the scheme would be around £5.5 billion and would be delivered by the end of 2015. Significant interim outputs would be delivered by the end of 2011, including the ability to run twelve-car trains along the Midland Main Line and through central London.1 By the time Labour left office in March 2010 it had achieved the following: Progress has been made in delivering the programme, which has been split into three distinct phases. Key output 0 was an enabling phase and saw the introduction, on 22 March 2009, of a new Thameslink train timetable requiring dual voltage trains [...] Key output 1 involves the construction of Blackfriars and Farringdon stations, which, together with platform extensions along the midland main line, will allow longer 12- carriage trains to operate from Bedford to destinations south of London, and there will be up to 15 trains per hour through central London. The infrastructure capability from such works is due to be available at the end of 2011. Key output 2 provides the full functionality of the Thameslink programme. There will be 24 trains per hour through the central core section, which will be achieved through the resignalling and reconstruction of London Bridge station and its approaches together with a new fleet of approximately 1,200 vehicles. That stage is scheduled to be completed from December 2016. The first enabling phase of the programme was successfully introduced on 22 March 2009. It involved the closure of the bay platforms at Blackfriars and the closure of the Thameslink Moorgate branch. That was achieved by linking the north and south services together and running them through the core central London Thameslink route using additional new dual voltage trains. The key output 0 element of the programme was delivered on time and on budget despite supply difficulties with the new trains. Much of the success can be attributed to excellent co-operation across the rail industry, where temporary measures were put in place to supply dual voltage trains to mitigate supply problems. I am pleased to report that all the required 23 dual voltage trains have been delivered and are now in service with First Capital Connect. All temporary rolling-stock mitigation measures that were in place since March 2009 have now been withdrawn.2 When the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government took office in May 2010 there was some concern as to whether the Thameslink project would go ahead in its entirety, 1 DfT, HDelivering a sustainable railwayH, Cm 7176, 24 July 2007, p50 2 HHC 2 February 2010, cc46-48WH 2 particularly in the context of the government’s proposed spending cuts. However, in November 2010 the then Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond, confirmed that the scheme would go ahead, though with a delay to the delivery timetable to 2018: ...we will fund and deliver the Thameslink programme in its entirety, virtually doubling the number of north-south trains running through central London at peak times. But the original programme for the rebuilding of London Bridge was always ambitious, with substantial risks around delivery, and operation of existing services, during construction. To reduce these risks, we have re-profiled the delivery of the programme to achieve completion in 2018. This will enable Network Rail to make further efficiencies to their design and delivery programme.3 The scheme is now estimated to cost £6 billion.4 As at mid-2011 the government stated that: The first stage of the Thameslink Programme is already under construction. Building work is already well underway at Farringdon and Blackfriars stations, and platform extension work has been completed at many locations including Luton Airport Parkway and St Albans. This first stage will enable some longer 12 carriage trains to operate on the Bedford to Brighton route from December 2011. The platforms at Blackfriars station are being extended across the river to make it the first station to span the width of the Thames. Farringdon station is being significantly improved and will also provide a new interchange onto Crossrail once that scheme is completed. The second stage involves the reconstruction of London Bridge station and its approaches and a new connection to the East Coast Main Line just to the north of St Pancras. This stage will facilitate operation of up to 24 trains per hour in both directions through the central London core section, as well as longer 12 carriage operation to a range of destinations to the north and south of London from December 2018.5 By spring 2012 Network Rail intends that the routes will have 50 per cent longer trains running for the first time and new stations opening at Blackfriars and Farringdon.6 2 Scheme generation and development, 1995-2007 The Thameslink project, originally called ‘Thameslink 2000’, involves electrification, signalling and new track works to expand the current Thameslink route through central London. The intention is that the project would increase capacity, reduce journey times and create new opportunities through London and across the South East of England. A comparison of how the network looked in 2009 and how it is anticipated to look in 2018 is given on the following page.7 3 HHC Deb 25 November 2010, c52WS 4 DfT press notice, “HRail passengers to benefit from 1,200 new carriagesH”, 16 June 2011 5 ibid., 6 Network Rail, HThameslink programmeH [accessed 26 January 2012] 7 from the HThameslink websiteH [accessed 26 January 2012] 3 4 The principle anticipated benefit from Thameslink was that passengers would be able to travel directly across London, avoiding the need to change at terminus stations. Knock-on benefits would be relieved pressure on London Underground, better access to Gatwick and Luton airports and easier connection to HS1 at St Pancras (where the new Thameslink station would be located). The tunnel between Kings Cross and Blackfriars was built in the nineteenth century and fell into disuse south of Farringdon in the 1960s. The railway was reopened between Farringdon and Blackfriars through the Snow Hill tunnel in May 1988. The lack of capacity immediately became obvious and the Thameslink project was originally conceived by British Rail to increase the capacity of the service. As the original name suggests, it had an anticipated completion date of the year 2000. Problems included the tight curve of the existing tunnel out of the Thameslink station to the north of King's Cross and the narrow, short platforms.