A RADICAL PLAN HAS BEEN HATCHED TO UNCORK THE CROYDON BOTTLENECK, REPORTS JAMES ABBOTT
Network Rail has begun public consultation on the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme (CARS). The aim is to remove a major bottleneck on the Brighton main line by grade separating junctions and installing two extra platform faces.
Croydon is a busy railway hub with 1,200 trains every day. Passenger igures have grown by 4.5% on the Brighton main line in the past decade and over the next 20 years at least 15% further growth is expected – on a line that is already just about full up. Over the past few years, train performance on the Brighton main line has been poor.
Industrial relations problems hit just when the London Bridge remodelling was in full swing. Then, in May 2018, the well-publicised issues with the new Thameslink timetable prompted a fresh meltdown.
With these problems thankfully receding into the past, attention is turning anew to the state of the infrastructure. Network Rail admits there is poor asset condition over much of the route and a lack of resilience when things go awry. This was recognised in Chris Gibb’s report on the route last year, with money allocated to improving asset condition under the £300 …
