An £81m project by Network Rail to upgrade infrastructure in the Hither Green area has reached the halfway point, and is on track to hand back an improved railway for passengers.

Included in the project is the end of the London Bridge Area Signalling Centre.

The project means that the mainline from Charing Cross and London St Pancras International to Chislehurst is under control of Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre.

Teams are installing 92 LED signal heads, and replacing nearly 90 track circuits.

Blockade Director Jon Ruch said: “This is a massive project and much-needed as we know passengers in South London have been suffering increasing disruption in this area. The move to axle counters will improve reliability as we won’t have to maintain insulated block joints and impedance bonds, and we’re also building in greater operational flexibility with new turn-backs at Lee, Hither Green and Grove Park. People often forget the impact of cable faults on reliability too, and relaying all the power supply and telecoms will have a massive positive impact.

“On top of all that, for many of us who worked on the Thameslink Programme, this is really the final part of the jigsaw we started many years ago and puts control of the busiest and most difficult to manage part of our network in a single location with modern technology.”

In addition to the new signalling equipment, major work is being completed at stations, from new drainage and platform edging at Chislehurst, to work at Hither Green station, which is getting new platforms and canopies.

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