Network Rail has awarded a first-rate contract, with a worth of roughly £130m, to Balfour Beatty Rail for the development of a two-mile component to the Crossrail route from Plumstead to Abbey Wood in southeast London.
The contract will include:
* The installation of 2 new dedicated Crossrail lines from Abbey Wood to the Plumstead portal, providing access to the recent Crossrail tunnels. The Crossrail lines will run alongside the present North Kent lines; and
* Works to change several bridges along the path to accommodate the overhead electric wires and two new lines which will be utilized by the recent Crossrail trains.
* The contract may even include construction of a brand new station building at Abbey Wood with a brand new Crossrail platform so one can allow for simple interchange with north Kent services. Designs for the brand new station are currently being finalised. The principle construction works will start in 2014, with some preparatory work expected to begin later this year.
When Crossrail opens, as much as 12 trains per hour in each direction will link southeast London and the Royal Docks with Canary Wharf, central London and beyond, slashing journey times and boosting regeneration within the area.
Passengers in southeast London will get pleasure from a number of Crossrail’s most vital time savings. With Crossrail, the adventure from Abbey Wood to Bond Street would be around 20 minutes quicker and passengers travelling to Heathrow would be capable of shave around 40 minutes off their journey.
Peter Mason, Network Rail’s crossrail senior programme manager, said: “Network Rail is undertaking a main upgrade of the present rail network for Crossrail, including an important programme of track renewals in addition station improvements. The transformed Abbey Wood station will act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the encircling area and supply opportunities for local employment, meeting the event aspirations of the 2 London boroughs it serves, Greenwich and Bexley. We’re now watching for continuing our excellent partnership with Balfour Beatty Rail to deliver this exciting project.”
Matt White, surface director at Crossrail said: “Crossrail will transform rail travel for local residents and contribute significantly to the regeneration during this portion of southeast London. Fast, frequent and direct services will link residents with central London and beyond, slashing journey times and making it easier to get to an entire range of destinations.”
Under the Crossrail programme, Network Rail is accountable for the upgrade of 43 miles of track, in addition to improving 27 stations from Maidenhead within the west to Abbey Wood and Shenfield within the east.
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