A £400m upgrade to London’s Waterloo station is due to start in October this year.
Waterloo is the UK’s busiest terminal, serving almost 100 million passengers a year, with a train arriving and departing every minute during peak periods. The number of commuters using the station is forecast to grow 40% over the next 30 years.
The refurbishment, which is being undertaken by Network Rail and franchise holder South West Trains, will bring the platforms of the former Waterloo International Terminal back into use. These were the original terminal for the Eurostar service before it moved to King’s Cross in north London.
The work to expand Waterloo is absolutely vital to make sure we can provide much needed extra space, both for our customers now and in the future– Tim Shoveller, South West Trains
The work will provide five additional platforms for London commuter services and redesign the concourse and platforms to deal with the greater passenger throughput.
The first part of this project will involve strengthening three bridges on the approach to platforms 20-24 as well as changing the station’s layout.
If the planning application is approved, work on the bridges is expected to start in October and be completed by the end of 2016. Associated track and signalling work will continue until mid-2017.
Tim Shoveller, the managing director of South West Trains, said: "We operate one of the busiest railways in Europe, with over half a million passenger journeys every day. Â
"The biggest investment for decades on our network is well under way but the work to expand London Waterloo is absolutely vital to make sure we can provide much needed extra space, both for our customers now and in the future."
Where possible work will take place during normal working hours, however, there will be some cases where work will need to take place on Saturday mornings and overnight.
Disruption due to an expansion at nearby London Bridge station has caused widespread delays and cancellations and is expected to last another year.
Image: Waterloo Station as it is now (Network Rail)
