01.03.07
Tube Lines
Tube Lines, the company rebuilding the busiest lines on the London Underground, is taking the first step towards replacing the entire Piccadilly line fleet by inviting expressions of interest from manufacturers for supplying new trains. Under its public private partnership contract, Tube Lines is committed to introducing a new rolling stock fleet by 2014 to replace the existing trains, which have been in service since 1972. Tube Lines has the same deadline to install a new signalling system and increase overall capacity of the Piccadilly line by 20%.
Requesting expressions of interest from manufacturers is the first stage of the procurement process leading to selection and contract award by Tube Lines, anticipated at the end of 2008.
The upgrade of the Piccadilly line in 2014 with new trains and a new signalling system will follow upgrades and improvements on the two other lines looked after by Tube Lines. The Jubilee line has already had its trains lengthened through the addition of an extra carriage. New signalling systems will further increase capacity on the Jubilee line in 2009 and on the Northern line in 2011.
Malcolm Codling, who is leading the work to upgrade all three lines for which Tube Lines is responsible, said:
“Through investment and new maintenance techniques, Tube Lines has significantly improved the reliability of the Piccadilly line fleet but there’s a limit to what can be done with such old trains. The new fleet will offer passengers a higher level of comfort. Coupled with the increased capacity which the new signalling system will bring, people using the Piccadilly line will notice faster, smoother, more reliable journeys.”
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