Published on: Monday, 27 July 2020
Last updated: Monday, 27 July 2020
Train operator Greater Anglia is investing £4m in replacing and improving six train washing plants across its network.
New train washers are being installed at Southend Victoria and Crown Point Depot in Norwich, while the washers at Clacton, Colchester, Ilford depot and Orient Way in London, will be refurbished.
The new train washers will be more efficient and effective, saving water, energy and time.
Martin Moran, Greater Anglia’s Commercial, Customer Services and Train Presentation Director, said: "The train washers at Southend Victoria and Crown Point depot are around 35 years old and need replacing. The new washers will improve the quality and standard of train washing, as well as helping to save up to 10% of the volume of water needed, compared to what was previously used.
"In the meantime, we are planning to put in a hand washing regime to maintain high standards during the transition. Our new trains look great and we want to keep them looking this way for years to come, which is why we are heavily investing in cleaning. We are currently in the process of replacing every single train in our fleet to make our customers’ journeys easier and more comfortable.
"During the current Coronavirus pandemic, we have stepped up our cleaning regime, focusing on high touch areas such as buttons, poles and handles. We have also invested in fogging guns, which are used for spraying and sanitising large areas. We are doing all we can to keep our trains and stations as clean as possible to help keep people safe while travelling with us."
The train cleaning upgrade is part of a £1.4bn investment in transforming train services in East Anglia. Greater Anglia is currently in the process of replacing all trains in its fleet with brand new ones. The first new train came into service in July 2019 and the rollout is ongoing, with the new commuter trains expected to come into service later this year.
The work to upgrade the train washing systems will take place in phases and is due to be completed by February 2021.