Tube Lines hits another stations target

Eleven more stations upgraded on time and within budget

Tube Lines announced today that it has achieved practical completion on a further eleven stations on time and within budget, taking the total number of stations completed to 58 across the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines.  Many of the stations were completed ahead of schedule, and outturn costs have now been reduced by as much as 30 percent since the first ten stations were upgraded back in 2004.

When it comes to driving through efficiencies Tube Lines never rests on its laurels. The company has already brought in major efficiencies to the station upgrade programme by managing key portions of the station works directly itself rather than relying on a principle contractor – which immediately reduced management overlap helping to cut the overall cost for each station.  This direct form of management has enabled Tube Lines to deliver station improvements faster while keeping a tight grip on costs.

During this round of station upgrades, Tube Lines has built on these improvements and delivered further efficiencies by carrying out more work during 52-hour weekend closures and partial station closures rather than through the limited engineering hours normally available to them. Longer working hours has enabled the company to achieve ever greater levels of productivity at lower costs.  This has helped compress delivery timescales, with some being delivered in as little as six months, and enabled the teams to control project costs to deliver better value for money.  Passengers also see a benefit from this new and improved method of working in that improved station facilities are available to them sooner rather than later.

The work carried out at these stations brings many benefits to passengers.  New wall tiles, flooring and lighting improves the overall look and feel which is important to improving people’s experience of using the Tube.  Perhaps more importantly however is the work carried out to replace older equipment, such as passenger information systems, with the latest technology.  By renewing these systems the facilities available to passengers are not only more advanced but also more reliable.

Commenting on the completion of the eleven stations, Keith Sibley, Senior Delivery Manager for stations at Tube Lines said:

“Every year we hit our target for completing station upgrades, often delivering some of them months ahead of schedule.  This year we worked to improve a number of larger, busier, more complex stations, including Camden Town, Leicester Square and Euston which really tested our project management skills.  To have successfully completed these on time is testament to the competence of our project managers and our constructive working relationship with London Underground.”

The next round of station upgrades is already in full swing. 13 stations now have work in progress and the remaining 27 stations to be upgraded are currently in the scoping design phase with construction programmed to start later this year and early 2009.  Tube Lines will look to maximise the use of weekend closures on these stations to continue to drive efficiencies and deliver the benefits of cleaner, safer and more reliable stations to passengers in ever shorter record times.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Press office, Tube Lines: 020 7088 4848

Notes to Editors

1. Stations completed in this round include Holloway Road, Dollis Hill, Brent Cross, Camden Town, Euston, Highgate, Old Street, Woodside Park, Leicester Square, Southgate and Willesden Green
2. Practical completion means all substantial works have been finished although some outstanding works, such as snags, may still need resolution. These must be completed within a 16-week contractual period.
3. Tube Lines is responsible for the maintenance and upgrade of the infrastructure on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines.  London Underground is responsible for operating the Underground, for employing drivers and station staff, for ticketing and fares, and for the Tube’s safety regime.
4. The Tube Lines consortium consists of two shareholders – Amey and Bechtel. They bring together some of the most experienced providers of business services with specialist skills in the rail industry, including track and signal renewals, plus project and operational management.  They are providing some of the best project and operational managers from around the world to work on the modernisation of the Tube system. Amey owns two-thirds of Tube Lines’ business and Bechtel one third.

 

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