Thameslink milestone as work starts on longer platforms at St Albans

The Thameslink upgrade programme has marked another significant milestone with the start of work to extend the platforms at St Albans station.

Following the completion of similar work at Luton Airport Parkway, St Albans is one of a number of stations undergoing work.

Over 4km of new platforms are being built at stations along the busy route for the new fleet of longer 12-carriage trains to be introduced steadily from 2012.

At St Albans station, which is managed by First Capital Connect, Network Rail engineers will extend all four platforms which were built to accommodate ntercity trains. Platforms 1, 2 and 4 will be extended by approximately 45m while platform 3 will be extended by 72.3m. The work is expected to be completed next summer with passengers being able to board the first longer trains in 2012.

In a press statement, Jim Morgan, managing director of First Capital Connect, said: "We want to give our customers the best possible experience at St Albans, which is our busiest station outside London."

Jim Crawford, Network Rail Thameslink Programme director, added: "The congestion-busting Thameslink expansion will deliver what passengers need - more capacity, more seats and less crowding."

Huge improvements have already been made at St Albans through a £5 million makeover of the station, which is nearing completion. These include:

-           A new, larger station entrance to reduce congestion and to make access easier
-           A new 813 space multi-storey car park, with 13 spaces for blue badge holders
-           Additional facilities for cycles and motorbikes
-           More CCTV and lighting to increase customer safety and security
-           Step-free access to all platforms, with new lifts for the mobility impaired
-           A new low-level ticket counter for wheelchair users
-           Two new large retail units providing convenience shopping for people on the go