The latest issue of the transport plans for the Olympic Park has been published.
From a rail transport perspective, the key points:
Stratford Station
Stratford station passenger numbers are expected to double by 2016.
The trebling of capacity and improving accessibility at the station – which will be finished by the end of 2010 – almost two years before the Games. The works include nine new lifts, eight new staircases, a re-opened subway, new platforms, wider, longer and clearer platforms, and a new station entrance at mezzanine level. The work is being delivered by Network Rail and London Underground Ltd.
A new westbound Central Line platform will allow passengers to get on and off from both sides of the train instead of just one at present. This will reduce congestion on platforms and in staircases and lifts.
North London Line
Plans to upgrade the network – if approved (and they are getting really close to the deadline) – the ODA would co-fund with TfL new signals, extra tracks and longer platforms on Network Rail’s network. This could potentially allow the NLL service to operate four-car instead of three-car trains. Four-car trains running at a higher frequency would significantly boost capacity.
DLR
The ODA is co-funding 22 of the 55 new DLR carriages that will allow the DLR to provide additional services during the Games. The three-car instead of the current two-car train service will boost on-board capacity by 50 per cent on the majority of the network by 2010.
There are also planned works at the main junction by Mint Street which leads to Tower Gateway station to improve reliability and cut waiting times.
Unsurprisingly, the press release from the ODA glossed over the issue of delays to agreeing the funding plans for the North London Line.
There is a lecture being held next month at the Building Centre on transport improvements in North London which I am itching to go to, but they are charging a painfully large admission fee for the half day session. Will see what the credit card says closer to the day.
