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Work starts on £36m upgrade of Vauxhall Tube station

Posted: 10 December 2013 | Transport for London (TfL)

Upgrade is part of the work to support the transformation of the Battersea Nine Elms area…

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Construction work will start in January next year to transform Vauxhall Tube station with a £36million upgrade as part of a major investment designed to support the growth and regeneration of the surrounding area.

Transport for London (TfL) is working to support a huge increase in jobs, businesses and homes in Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea, which is one of the Mayor’s 33 key Opportunity Areas. Key projects include extending the Northern line, transforming the gyratory system, making major improvements for walking and cycling, enhancing bus services. The upgrade at Vauxhall Tube station is an essential first phase of this strategy.

The number of passengers using Vauxhall Underground station is set to increase by 40 per cent over the next few years and in order to create extra space, the ticket hall will be reconfigured to allow an improvement and expansion of the ticket gates, reducing congestion within the station. The Tube station will remain open during the work. Two sites need to be established outside the station in December, to support the work within.

The station, its subways and stairways will be completely refurbished and a lift will be installed between the ticket hall and platforms. This, combined with the existing lift from the bus station to the Tube ticket hall, will deliver step-free access to the Victoria line trains. Network Rail is also now completing the national rail station’s upgrade, which includes more lifts to improve accessibility, thus creating a fully accessible interchange between rail bus and Tube.

David Waboso, Capital Programmes Director, London Underground, said: “Vauxhall is a very busy Tube station, with about 21 million people using it annually, and it’s set to get busier. The station will be kept open for passengers during the work and we will keep any disturbance to the minimum, but this upgrade work is absolutely vital.

It will make the station step-free, will give passengers more space and will make journeys through the station quicker and more pleasant. These works, along with other TfL investment in improving the local transport network, will play a key role in helping to support the regeneration of the area.”

The total project cost of the Vauxhall Tube station improvements has been reduced by more than £9 million from £45 million through working closely with contractor Bechtel.

“Using Six Sigma, best practices in supply chain management and sustainability we have developed together with London Underground a more cost-effective construction method, which also reduces the environmental impact” said Bechtel’s project manager, Hani Rizkallah. “We aim to be good neighbours and are committed to delivering these improvements safely and to the highest quality.”

The upgrade work will be completed by the end of 2015.

Island work site – near bus station

  • Through December, hoardings and site cabins will be installed on the area of derelict land between Wandsworth Road and The Bondway (close to Vauxhall bus station).

Wandsworth Road work site – near St. George’s Wharf

  • A second work site will be established on the north side of Wandsworth Road around the existing subway entrance /exit outside the St. George’s Wharf development. 
  • This subway will be closed until spring 2015, although there will still be access to the station via the steps at the start of Vauxhall Bridge.

It will be necessary to work over some nights and TfL is working hard to limit any disturbance and environmental impacts as agreed with the London Borough of Lambeth.