Kentish Town Tube station is set to close from the 26th June for up to a year, whilst essential upgrade works are conducted to replace both of the station’s 26-year-old escalators.
This programme of essential replacement works will see the existing, faulty escalators replaced with new, high-performing machines. The current escalators have been operational since their installation in 1997 and are currently the most unreliable across the Underground network. Due to the age of the mechanisms, it is particularly difficult to source parts for maintenance and repairs.
The new escalators will be the same model as those used on the Elizabeth line and throughout the London Underground network bringing cohesion and enhanced uniformity across the network’s infrastructure. This will also improve reliability and make sourcing replacement parts much easier, thus reducing the chances of unplanned station closures and passenger disruptions.
Further mechanical benefits of the new escalators will include more efficient motors and drivers, thus reducing electricity usage. Whilst they are not in use, the escalators run at a slower speed to save further energy usage.
Transport for London (TfL) will seek to utilise the temporary closure of Kentish Town Underground station to conduct further improvement works, such as removing the redundant ticket office and the realignment of ticket barriers to afford customers with more space and additional ticket gates. The station will also receive an aesthetic makeover through a deep clean, fresh lick of paint and the installation of improved signage.
Throughout the period of works, Kentish Town Thameslink station will remain open for passenger use, whilst the nearby Tufnell Park Tube station will be accessible by using the extensive local bus network or from Kentish Town station on foot.
Esther Sharples, TfL’s Director of Asset Performance Delivery, said:
“I’d like to thank our customers in advance for their patience while we replace the escalators at Kentish Town station. They are the most unreliable on the Tube network and this essential work will improve journeys through Kentish Town station for many years to come. We explored all possible options to keep the Tube station open during this work but safety considerations and space constraints meant it wasn’t feasible.
“We are using the opportunity while the station is closed to make many other improvements which will make the station more spacious, easier to use and more welcoming for our customers.”
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