Northern Line signalling upgrade complete

Up to 26 trains per hour now run on the Northern Line at peak times following the completion of a signalling upgrade.

Nearly one million passengers per day use the line, and this can increase 20% as a result of additional capacity created by upgrade.

By 2020, LU plans to increase train frequencies on the line to at least 30 tph by introducing new trains. 

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Last month we had the busiest week on the Tube in its history and as London’s population grows our work to modernise and improve our transport network becomes ever more vital.  Passengers have already benefited from the upgrades of the Jubilee and Victoria lines and new and improved signalling will deliver a 20 per cent increase in capacity on the Northern Line.  Of course there remains much to be done. That’s why we are pressing full steam ahead to deliver other major projects including the extension of the Northern Line, new trains and signalling and the next crop of Tube upgrades on the Piccadilly, Central and Bakerloo Lines.”

Work will also begin this year to extend the Northern line to Battersea and Nine Elms. The extension will cut journey times to the West End and the City to just under 15 minutes.

• For more information, see RAIL 766, published on January 21.