Drop-in sessions at stations from Gospel Oak to Barking ahead of eight month phased closure

• Network Rail and Transport for London will be holding drop-in sessions at stations to answer questions
• Work to install new infrastructure will require a phased programme of closures from June this year
• Journeys on the route to be improved and capacity doubled with new four-carriage electric trains from early 2018

Customers and local residents are being reminded that major upgrade work to the London Overground route between Gospel Oak and Barking will start from June 2016 as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan. An eight month closure of the railway is needed to carry out this vital work.

Ahead of the closure, staff will be holding a series of drop-in sessions from Monday 18 April to Thursday 5 May. Staff will be at a different station every evening peak (16:00-19:00) to meet passengers, answer questions and explain the works and what benefits they will bring, as well as details of alternative travel arrangements.

Network Rail is delivering the project, which is funded by the Department for Transport and Transport for London (TfL). The project will see TfL introduce new four-carriage electric trains to replace the existing two-carriage diesel trains from January 2018, helping to meet growing passenger demand.

Network Rail will be carrying out major work to electrify the line in two phases. From Saturday 4 June to Sunday 25 September 2016 there will be no service between South Tottenham and Barking. Trains will run on weekdays between Gospel Oak and South Tottenham, however not at weekends. TfL will be providing rail replacement buses which will operate along the route.

From Monday 26 September to February 2017, a full closure from Gospel Oak to Barking is required.

Network Rail’s route managing director, Richard Schofield, said:

We know this is a big change for people as we carry out the improvements and that’s why we wanted to get out and have staff at every station to meet passengers and local residents and answer any questions they may have. We’ll also explain the complexity of the work and the need for an eight month closure.

This investment will transform the service on this route, doubling capacity with cleaner, quieter electric trains and is a key element of our wider Railway Upgrade Plan.

Mike Stubbs, TfL’s Director of London Overground, said:

This work will allow us to run new longer walk-through trains on the line from January 2018, doubling capacity along the route. We recognise that there will be disruption to customers while the upgrade work is carried out and I’d like to thank them for their patience in advance. We will continue to work closely with Network Rail to see if the timescales they set out can be reduced.

In addition to these drop-in sessions TfL will provide detailed station specific advice to help get customers around throughout the closure. Information will be made available via email alerts, Twitter @LDNOverground, posters and announcements in stations.

In order to electrify the railway, overhead wires and structures to support them need to be installed as well as the construction of three new switching stations. To make room for this new infrastructure, four sections of the track will be lowered, four bridges will be rebuilt and a further six modernised. TfL will also be lengthening platforms and enhancing stations to accommodate the longer trains. Network Rail has already started work on the foundations for the structures that will carry the overhead wires.

From February 2017 onwards further works to have the line ready for electric trains will take place during evenings and weekends only and will be completed by the end of June 2017.

Latest news from the Barking – Gospel Oak Line User Group (BGORUG)

New electric trains on order

At a recent meeting representatives of BGORUG urged Transport for London (TfL) to take steps to ensure that the commencement of full electrification of 4-car electric trains is not subject to extended delays.

For full details see: BGORUG-mtgdoc-CLASS315s- Final

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Artist impresssion of the electric units on order

Preparing for Electrification

The line will be closed continuously between Barking and South Tottenham on 4th June 2016 until February 2017. During this period train services will continue to operate, on weekdays only, between Gospel Oak and South Tottenham and from 24th September 2016 the whole line will be closed.

When it reopens to traffic in early February, the Overhead Line Equipment (OHLE) and power supply systems will still be under
test and commissioning, requiring continuing weekend closures and are not expected to be available for electric trains to use until June 2017. Passenger services will continue to be provided by the existing 2-car diesel trains on the same timetable until spring 2018 when new 4-car electric trains are delivered.

The footbridge across Walthamstow Queen’s Road station will be closed to pedestrians from 4th June 2016 until early February 2017.

CHANGES TO RAIL REPLACEMENT BUS SERVICES

TfL has decided to change the routing of the two existing rail replacement bus services to shorten journey times and reduce the effects of traffic congestion, but these alterations will leave several stations without a rail replacement bus service. It is understood that TfL is putting the revised services out to tender around now with the commencement date being 4th June.

Revised Rail Replacement Bus Route ‘T’ Barking – Walthamstow Central
Daily from Saturday 4th June 2016, every 15 minutes, but every 10 minutes in peak periods.
 Barking Station
 Woodgrange Park station
 Wanstead Park station
 Harrow Green, Leytonstone (for Leytonstone High Road station)
 Leyton Midland Road station
 Walthamstow Central, Selborne Road RRB bus stops
Buses will then run out of service to and from their layover point at St. James Street bus station in Courtenay Mews.

Revised Rail Replacement Bus Service ‘J’ Gospel Oak – Seven Sisters
Weekends from Saturday 4th June 2016, then daily from 24th September. Double deck buses running every 15 minutes, but every 10 minutes at peak times.
 Highgate Road (for Gospel Oak station)
 Upper Holloway station
 Hornsey Road, junction with Hanley Road (for Crouch Hill station)
 Finsbury Park station
 Harringay Green Lanes station
 Seven Sisters station (High Road bus stops by Victoria Line entrance/exits)
Buses will then run out of service to and from their layover point at Ashley Road & Burdock Road by Tottenham Hale station.

TfL justifies providing no bus service between Walthamstow Central and South Tottenham by stating that the Victoria Line between Walthamstow Central and Seven Sisters is quicker.

This overlooks the fact that while the weekday Gospel Oak – South Tottenham train service is running (6th June – 23rd September) passengers will have a 5-7 minute walk and a 8-10 minute Underground journey to link up with the Barking bus and vice versa.

BARKING – GOSPEL OAK USER GROUP’S INITIAL VIEWS

BGORUG’s initial thoughts are that the Barking bus (Route ‘T’) should:
 Have an additional stop for Leyton Underground station (Warren Road/Grove Green Road)
 Be extended, on days when the Gospel Oak – South Tottenham train service is running, to South Tottenham station and on other days to Tottenham Hale to connect with an extended Route ‘J’ and also call at:
o Walthamstow South Grove (for Walthamstow Queen’s Road station)
o Blackhorse Road station
The Gospel Oak bus (Route ‘J’) should be extended in service from Seven Sisters to Tottenham Hale to provide a connection with an extended Barking bus (Route ‘T’).

TfL have told Stella Creasy MP that affected passengers will be allowed to pass through Zone 1 without additional charge.
BGORUG also thinks Crouch Hill passengers should also be granted free travel on bus routes 210, W3 & W7. We also think that a Monday – Friday express bus linking Barking with Tottenham Hale would be useful for passengers. Running from Barking every 30 minutes 06:00 – 10:30 and every 30 minutes from Tottenham Hale 15:30 – 20:00. What do you think?

YOUR VIEWS ARE WANTED

BGORUG wants to hear passengers’ views.

Should affected passengers be given free travel on other bus routes or Underground lines? They are meeting TfL on 10th March so please let them know what you think. Either email direct  to info@barking-gospeloak.org.uk or post on their website www.barking-gospeloak.org.uk at the Have Your Say! message board.

The revised schedule for Christmas and the New Year has been announced:

Normal collections will resume from Monday 11 January 2016.

Transport for London (TfL) is working in partnership with the London Borough of Waltham Forest and would like your views on a number of proposed changes to Lea Bridge Road. These changes would alter some bus stops and the road layout to provide segregated cycle tracks.

For full details, and to share your views, please click here to visit the London Borough of Waltham Forest’s website.

This consultation will run until Wednesday 2 December.