A major London Underground line is due to undergo closures later this year as part of a huge £2.9bn upgrade. The Piccadilly line is set for new trains and an overall upgrade.
This will cost £2.9 billion altogether. Now, Sadiq Khan has said that Transport for London (TfL) is deciding exactly when the capital’s dark blue Tube route will be shut.
The first new train is due to arrive in London for testing in 2024 and enter service in 2025. At the moment, a plan to inform customers of these is being developed. The Piccadilly line, which starts at Cockfosters and ends at either Heathrow Terminal 5 or Uxbridge, currently serves 53 stations in total on the capital’s underground network – and so its closure will affect hundreds of thousands of Londoners.
Updates are due to be sent to commuters directly. The Mayor of London – who is also Chair of TfL – told the London Assembly: “In preparing for the new Piccadilly line trains there will be closures on the line for both infrastructure enhancements and testing the new trains. The dates of these closures are being agreed at the moment.”
“An integrated customer communications plan is also being developed. Customers can sign up for email updates related to closures on the TfL website.”
As the new trains are rolled out, TfL plans to increase the frequency of Piccadilly line services in 2027. But, a rephasing of the plans in the face of a ‘shortfall’ in central government funding of £250 million, the authority’s commissioner, Andy Lord, has admitted, will cost more money overall over the long term.
A recent publication from a Transport for London (TfL) committee stated, “TfL had ensured it remained on track for the arrival of the first new train for testing in 2024, and entry into service in 2025. A greater number of trains than the original 50 per cent target would now be built in Goole, which was positive news for the UK and jobs in that region.”
The documents also revealed: “Siemens was investing up to £200m in its facility, creating up to 700 jobs directly at its factory and up to 1,700 jobs within the wider supply chain.”
