As Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Thameslink, Matthew has been working hard to ensure improvements on the line. A significant contribution to achieving this is the development taking place at Farringdon station, Blackfriars Bridge and London Bridge station. During recess Matthew took the opportunity to see for himself the developments that are occurring and what the improvements will mean for the people of this constituency.
Each station has its own unique benefits that will improve the experience for commuters. Farringdon station will provide a direct interchange for commuters onto Crossrail, giving a journey time to Canary Wharf of 9 minutes. Blackfriars Bridge, a brand new station constructed on the present bridge, will introduce greater capacity to the service. Finally, the development of London Bridge station will allow greater capacity across the whole system. Presently there are 9 lines terminating at London Bridge and 6 through routes. The development reverses this and will provide 6 terminating lines and 9 through routes allowing the Thameslink line to have its own dedicated route through central London. This opens up the Thameslink line from Bedford all the way through to Brighton.
Matthew said, “These improvements will provide a direct benefit for commuters who use the stations at Mill Hill Broadway and West Hendon and will also provide relief for those who use the Northern Line, as it will take the pressure off that service. The introduction of 12 cars on the train as a result of extensions to station platforms will also increase capacity, providing a more comfortable and regular service. It was an early decision of the Government to continue with the investment programme on Thameslink and the benefits are now starting to emerge.”
Photo: Matthew is pictured at Blackfriars Bridge with the project manager