Mane Rail & Infrastructure Issue 6 - February 2017 | Page 8

PROJECTS AROUND LONDON

The Northern line is getting longer – planning and preparation work on the £1.2bn Northern line extension (NLE) has been ongoing and the main tunnelling will begin March 2017. A pair of two-mile long tunnels will extend to Battersea in south London. Two tunnel boring machines, named Helen and Amy, will create two separate tunnels extending the Northern line from Kennington adding two new stations at Nine Elms and the redeveloped Battersea Power Station site*. The Northline extension will be the first major expansion of the Tube since the Jubilee line in the late 90s.

Both Helen and Amy are capable of tunnelling up to 30 metres a day – work is estimated to take six months to complete the tunnelling. Operation of the new extension is expected sometime in 2020.

Benefits of the NLE:

• generate up to £8bn in wider economic benefits and up to £4.5 billion in additional tax revenue;

• improve journey times to the West End or the City – less than 15 minutes travel time;

• more than triple the number new of jobs created in the area – up to 25,000;

• provide capacity for the up to 20,000 new homes in the area.

NORTHERN LINE EXTENSION

*Mane has been supplying staff for the Battersea Power Station site as part of a major flagship regeneration project.

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