05.06.15
Perry confirms Barking to Gospel Oak electrification timeline
Rail minister Claire Perry MP has confirmed that enabling works start in October on the £115m Gospel Oak to Barking electrification programme.
Responding to a Parliamentary question on the start date and cost from Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North, Perry added that the DfT and TfL have allocated £90m and £25m respectively towards the electrification of the line (2013 prices).
Corbyn was also told that “major on-site works” are due to commence in June 2016, with passenger services on the route due to be available for use by passenger operators by June 2017.
GRIP 3 (option selection) was completed in March this year, work having begun on it in 2013, according to TfL Transport Commissioner Sir Peter Hendy.
Glenn Wallis, secretary of BGORUG, said: “Our expert rail industry advisers tell us that for Network Rail to have taken three years to complete GRIP 3 indicates that they have not exactly been throwing resources at the job. The likelihood of Network Rail completing electrification of the line by mid-2017 is now said to be improbable.”