Published on: Monday, 3 April 2017
Last updated: Monday, 3 April 2017
Greater Anglia is asking customers to let them know what they think about the design and layout of the company’s brand new trains.
Designs have been published on the Greater Anglia website to give customers a preview of the new trains. The artists’ impressions illustrate the internal layout and features of the trains, as well as the external livery.
The company has also confirmed that its major fleet replacement programme, which will see every single train in its fleet replaced with brand new trains in 2019/20, is currently progressing well and on schedule.
The £1.4 billion investment in 169 new trains - 1043 carriages in total - will see every train fitted with free high-quality Wi-Fi, at-seat plug and USB points, air conditioning and state-of-the-art passenger information screens, in bright new carriages with comfortable new seats.
The design process has already incorporated feedback from customers and stakeholders received during the Greater Anglia franchise bidding and consultation process, as well as other suggestions made in recent months.
The operator has involved customer watchdogs, Transport Focus and London Travelwatch, in the new trains programme, as well as the Department for Transport. It has also actively gained input from wheelchair users, visually impaired travellers and other users with specific needs.
Now customers across the network are being given the chance to look at the train designs and provide feedback which will help inform the final specifications.
The introduction of new trains will not only transform the on-board journey experience, but also enable extensive timetable improvements, reduced journey times, increased seating capacity and better reliability.
Every single route operated by Greater Anglia is due to benefit from the biggest-ever investment in trains in East Anglia, in a programme which will have wider benefits for the regional economy.
There will be ten 12-carriage intercity trains for Norwich – Ipswich – Colchester - London intercity services on the Great Eastern Main Line and ten 12-carriage Stansted Express trains for services between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport.
There are then 24 four-carriage and 14 three-carriage bi-mode trains for regional services across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, which can operate using both diesel and electric power.
Also on order are 89 five-carriage and 22 ten-carriage trains for suburban services on the West Anglia Main Line (between Cambridge, Bishops Stortford, Harlow, Hertford East and London) and the Great Eastern Main Line (between Ipswich, Harwich, Clacton, Colchester, Braintree, Chelmsford and London and between Southend and London).
The intercity, Stansted Express and regional trains (378 carriages in total) will be built by Stadler in Switzerland, whilst the suburban trains (665 carriages in total) will all be built by Bombardier in Derby. They will be maintained at existing depots at Norwich and Ilford, plus a new depot at Brantham, near Manningtree.
Jamie Burles, Managing Director, Greater Anglia, said: “We are looking forward to transforming train services in East Anglia with the complete replacement of our entire current fleet with brand new trains in 2019/20, which will bring improvements not just to the on-board environment, but also to capacity, journey times and reliability across our network.
“We’re pleased to be able to share the planned design and layouts of the trains which have been developed based on extensive consultation. We’re keen to hear our customers’ views. They will help inform the final design specification. Our new trains programme is progressing well and on schedule.”
To look at the new designs and give feedback, customers should visit greateranglia.co.uk/newtrains