Lewisham station area to see two more years of signal upgrades

Thought years of closures around Lewisham station in recent years were over? Think again as yet more have been announced by Network Rail for some time to come.

Signalling work will last for two years with closures impacting routes through Lewisham including this weekend as part of the £90 million project.

Busy spot on the network

It’s the latest project in the area covering rail upgrades: In 2019 £55 million was spent in the area. Further work saw a ten-day closure undertaken in 2022.

Automatic route setting

Network Rail state that the latest project will ensure: “Along with brand new equipment, Automatic Route Setting (ARS) software will be installed at the Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre, where trains in the area are signalled from.”

“The state-of-the-art equipment will help signallers more efficiently control the movement of trains on the network. The signalling layout and signal positions in the area will be modified to improve line speeds.”

Whether that results in faster routine journeys for passengers or more recovery time remains to be seen. Ever more slack and timetable padding has been inserted on Metro routes year on year even while frequencies were reduced and routes simplified to generally one line to one terminus in 2022, ensuring fewer crossings made at an adjacent diamond junction.

Lewisham station. Track replacement can be seen.

Passenger experience

While work is undertaken on track and signals, enhancing the passenger experience of station users remains beyond reach for now.

A previous entrance/exit to the station on platform 4 was closed around a decade ago. Adding a bigger gate since then was recently listed as a station improvement.

Previous station entrance closed in 2010s

In reality it was a bit of a slap in the face making it even more obvious passenger convenience wasn’t a key consideration.

Since closure of platform 4’s entrance and exit thousands more homes have been built that side of the station, but modest funds to open a new entrance havn’t been found.

Former entrance and exit on left closed in 2010s. New homes on right with more due in foreground directly beside this spot

Opening the old entrance doesn’t seem likely given Network Rail claim the slope is too steep and they need space at the bottom for new ticket barriers.

Space for improvements?

Yet elsewhere there does appear to be sufficient space brought about by new development.

One such site being a tower directly beside platform 4 on a former Tesco car park.

Tower beside platform 4

The location of the tower and public realm seems tailor-made to connect to a new station entrance.

A modular staircase built in 1999 as part of DLR extension work beside platform 4 sits directly beside new public space. Removing one non-load bearing wall would enable access from the north of the station and there’s space to add a small entrance building and ticket gates.

But no joined up thinking has yet occurred to do so.

New public realm built as part of tower project beside station lift and staircase. Ideal site for new entrance

Slightly north of the tower and an estate rebuild is seeing 1,200 homes (which is a substantial net increase), while north of that work is now underway on 63 homes at Blackheath Hill.

The next big project is on this side of the station will be redeveloping Tesco supermarket. Expect more towers and many homes above retail space.

Lack of joint working

So far Network Rail, Southeastern and Lewisham Council have been unable to work together to utilise Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy revenue to improve access alongside rail industry funds. Time to rectify that?

Failing to do so in turn forces all passengers to the same southern entrance and exit.

Cramped tunnels at Lewisham station prone to flooding.

Many have to use inadequate, cramped tunnels and things got so bad a one-way system was implemented.

Well anyway that’s another story and I’ve deviated too much. If signalling works are required of course those funds won’t be raided for entrance work. Separate budgets but still, it’s galling for passengers to see continual closures with little to no improvements in actual station usability.

David Davidson, Kent route director, Network Rail, said: “The Lewisham area is among the busiest and most congested parts of the country’s rail network. More than a third of Southeastern trains pass through Lewisham each day. Any fault or delay in this area has a major impact on services in south east London and out to Kent.

“This £90 million investment in new signalling will reduce signalling related delays and support a more reliable service for all passengers.

“We have just completed major signalling upgrades in the Tulse Hill, Peckham Rye and Crystal Palace areas.  A major signalling upgrade of the lines from Battersea, up to Herne Hill, Brixton, Bellingham and Nunhead is set to be completed over the next year.

“Collectively, these projects bring our signalling investment in south London up to nearly half a billion pounds in recent years and demonstrate our commitment to upgrading old and less reliable infrastructure to improve the railway for our passengers”.

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J Smith

I've lived in south east London most of my life growing up in Greenwich borough and working in the area for many years. The site has contributors on occasion and we cover many different topics. Living and working in the area offers an insight into what is happening locally.

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