London Underground begins search to secure additional Jubilee and Northern line trains

Additional trains and modern signalling system will boost capacity, supporting London’s growing population and economy The new trains will enable greater frequencies on the Jubilee and Northern lines and support Tube services for the proposed Northern line extension from Kennington to Battersea. LU has placed a notice with the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) seeking expressions of interest to supply new trains for the Jubilee and Northern lines.  A formal Invitation to Tender is expected to be issued in early 2015. Alongside new modern signalling systems, the additional trains will help LU meet the challenge of London’s growing population – set to increase from 8.2m today to around 10m by 2030 – by increasing capacity in central London on the Jubilee line by 13 per cent and on the Northern line by 25 per cent.

Gareth Powell, Director of Strategy & Service Development for London Underground said: “When these extra trains are in service by 2021 central London customers will benefit from at least 30 trains per hour on the Northern line and at least 34 trains per hour on the Jubilee line during peak times.  By combining the orders for new trains for two lines we will ensure that their delivery represents value for money for our customers.”

The new trains are part of a huge programme of modernisation being carried out by London Underground, with major stations, trains, track and signalling being modernised or replaced to provide more capacity for a growing city. The line upgrades are at the core of LU’s investment programme, which will deliver more than 30 per cent increase in capacity. The upgrade programme is being delivered over the coming years, with work on upgrades to the Northern, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines well underway. 

Redevelopment work to increase capacity at key stations and make them step-free, is underway at a number of stations including Victoria, Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street and more than half of London Underground's 270 stations have now been modernised or refurbished to make them brighter and easier to use, with improvements such as tactile strips and better CCTV and help points, electronic information displays in ticket halls and on platforms, and improved seating and lighting.