New Tube for London

The "New Tube for London" is due to enter service on the Piccadilly line in 2022.

New Tube for London (NTfL) is a programme that would introduce new trains and signalling on several London Underground deep-tube lines between 2025 and 2033. The fully automated trains would increase capacity on the Piccadilly, Central, Waterloo & City and Bakerloo lines. The trains may not have drivers, however the ASLEF and RMT trade unions that represent the drivers strongly oppose this, saying it would be unsafe.

Deep tube programme

Siemens' 2011 proposal for the "Evo" concept tube train

The Deep tube programme (DTP) originally covered the replacement of the trains and signalling on the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines, and had been expanded to cover rolling stock requirements arising from the planned extension of the Northern line to Battersea, the eventual replacement of Central line trains and proposed increased service frequency on the Northern and Jubilee lines. The EVO tube concept design, a lighter articulated train with walk-through cars, was introduced early in 2011.^[1] Siemens presented a response in 2011, a design with the weight reduced by 30 tonnes (29.5 long tons; 33.1 short tons) and energy consumption reduced by 17 per cent, thus generating less heat to be dispersed in the tunnels. The trains would have a lower floor and 11 per cent higher passenger capacity than the current tube trains.^[2] Siemens presented a mock up of its Inspiro design at The Crystal between October 2013 and January 2014.^[3]

New Tube for London

In early 2014 the Bakerloo, Piccadilly, Central and Waterloo & City line rolling stock replacement project was renamed New Tube for London (NTfL) and moved from its feasibility stage to the design and specification stage. The study had showed that, for new generation trains and re-signalling:

• Piccadilly line capacity could be increased by 60 per cent with 33 trains per hour (tph) at peak times by 2025.
• Central line capacity increased by 25 per cent with 33 tph at peak times by 2030.
• Waterloo & City line capacity increased by 50 per cent by 2032, after the track at Waterloo station was remodelled.
• Bakerloo line capacity could be increased by 25 per cent with 27 tph at peak times by 2033.

The project is estimated to cost £16.42 billion (£9.86 bn at 2013 prices). A notice was published on 28 February 2014 in the Official Journal of the European Union asking for expressions of interest in building the trains.^[4][5] On 9 October 2014 TFL published a shortlist of those (Alstom, Siemens, Hitachi, CAF and Bombardier) who had expressed an interest in supplying 250 trains for between £1.0 billion and £2.5 billion, and on the same day opened an exhibition with a design by PriestmanGoode.^[6][7] The fully automated trains may be able to run without drivers,^[8] however the ASLEF and RMT trade unions that represent the drivers strongly oppose this, saying it would affect safety.^[9] The Invitation to Tender for the trains is expected in early 2015, the specifications for the Piccadilly line infrastructure in 2016,^[4][5] and the first train to run on the Piccadilly line in 2022.^[7]

See also

• New Routemaster, flagship bus project for routes served in Central London.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to New Tube for London.

• Transport for London - New Tube for London