Five-car trains to be on all Overground routes by 2015

Transport for London (TfL) has outlined its plans to introduce five-car trains on all London Overground routes by 2015.

The £320m programme includes the construction of longer platforms and the delivery of an extra 57 carriages to augment the new fleet of 57 Bombardier Class 378 Capitalstar trains.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Passenger numbers on our London Overground services have been going through the roof, but this important programme of investment will enable us to provide the extra carriages required for Londoners to take advantage of what has become the most popular suburban railway in the country.”

TfL’s chief operating officer for rail, Howard Smith, said: “Demand for London Overground – the UK’s most punctual rail service – is growing at an incredible pace.

“By the end of 2012, London Overground carried 120 million passengers – nearly four times the number carried when we launched in 2007.

“To enable this positive trend to continue and maintain our high levels for safe, reliable and frequent travel, we need to deliver more capacity by adding more carriages.”