London Overground upgrade sees 2025 target for improved services in TfL update

Transport for London have given an update of various works across the London Overground including plans for enhanced services in 2025.

Next week’s Programmes and Investment Committee contains reports highlighting various news across London’s transport network including the London Overground.

There’s long been plans for an enhanced service through the core tunnel section between Surrey Quays and Whitechapel through Brunel’s Thames Tunnel.

The report states: “We also started work in June to enhance our signalling and traction power systems to enable us to run 18 trains per hour on this section of the railway by 2025, and then 20 trains per hour beyond that to ensure we continue to meet the growing demand”.

This is in part due to an increase in demand expected from new housing and development, and in particular around Surrey Quays and Canada Water station where 3,000 homes are underway.

Southern have cut trains under government cuts further south and TfL have even raised the possibility of running some trains into London Bridge.

Station upgrade

The vast development project around Rotherhithe will see the demolition of Surrey Quays shopping centre. Work is currently underway at a number of sites closest to Canada Water station where a tower is rising.

As part of the project work is now underway to create a new entrance and ticket hall at Surrey Quays station, which was covered last month. The report covers the station project:

“Our main contractor, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, continues to progress the detailed design of the Surrey Quays station upgrade with the detailed design recently achieving 90 per cent completion.

“Enabling works, including the diversions of utilities both inside and outside the rail corridor, have begun. Modification of site welfare, project offices and the construction compound began in October 2023.”

In recent months further applications have gained approval in the area, with an excellent looking New York-esque block given the green light.

Power upgrades

Increased power supply is needed to accommodate enhanced services and the report covers that key goal:

“Procurement of the necessary TfL power infrastructure reinforcement has concluded, with works scheduled to begin in late 2023.

“We continue to collaborate with Network Rail on reinforcing their power infrastructure to provide further resilience to the East London line to support future increased train frequencies.”

So then, 2025 is the target for increased services before future upgrades possibly follow as many homes are built – with further being approved.