Published on: Monday, 14 March 2016
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016
The £12 million upgrade programme forAbellio Greater Anglia's intercity Mk III carriages has now passed the halfwaystage, with 61 of the 118 carriages involved now upgraded and back in serviceon the Norwich - Ipswich - Colchester - London route (the Great Eastern MainLine or GEML).
The significant refresh sees all of thetrain operator's Mk III fleet being enhanced, with improvements throughout forboth First Class and Standard carriages, including plug points; new LEDlighting; new carpets; new tables; new seat covers; upgraded,environmentally-friendly, controlled emission toilets with new floors and newtaps; and the re-painting of both carriage interior saloons and the vestibulepanels, walls and ceilings. Exterior painting of all carriages is also beingundertaken as part of a separate programme already underway.
The work is being carried out at AbellioGreater Anglia's Crown Point Depot in Norwich by the company's partner for theproject Vossloh Kiepe, with the programme on schedule for completion by the endof the train operator's current short franchise in October 2016. A number ofcarriages will also be modified to enable more standard seats to be provided -over 2,500 a day or over 600,000 a year.
Feedback from customers along the route hasbeen positive, with particular praise for the installation of plug points andthe brighter lighting. Upgrading the intercity train fleet benefits not justrail customers, but the wider regional economy and it is intended that thisproject should be the start of a decade-long programme of improvements on thisimportant rail artery, with further upgrades to the intercity train fleet hopedfor as part of the new franchise due to be awarded in June and commencing inOctober.
Jamie Burles, Abellio Greater Anglia'sManaging Director said: "We are pleased to pass this important milestonewith more than half of our intercity carriages now upgraded. This £12 millionprogramme illustrates our commitment to raise service standards on the Norwichto London mainline route. We are determined to provide customers andcommunities across our network with higher quality services and this project isa major part of a wider investment of over £40 million in customer-focusedimprovements throughout our current short franchise, which runs from July 2014to October 2016.”