An upgrade, valued at £45 million is planned for the rail network in the Sutton to Wimbledon and Mitcham corridor. This upgrade could lead to passengers looking forward to more reliable services once the work is complete.

This work is part of the Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan. This plan will modernise old signaling equipment in the Sutton, Mitcham and Wimbledon area. The Upgrade Plan is taking place across the company and will be the largest works on the railways since the Victorian era.

The signaling equipment that is being updated by Network Rail is run by Southern for the services to London Bridge and London Victoria, and Thameslink runs the services from central London, Luton and St Albans.

The Network Rail Upgrade Plan, will bring state-of-the-art technology that is commuter based along the bus computer line. The works should be completed by 2018. The intention is to have the railway’s signaling handled from the UKs most advanced signaling centre. This centre will be the Network Rail’s Route Operating Centre at Three Bridge, West Sussex. Updating the signaling system will help to reduce delays as well as increase the network’s overall capacity in the long term. This will all in the end mean that passengers will have more timely and up to date information for their services.

The project in the Sutton, Wimbledon and Mitcham area will encompass 37 miles of track and upgrading five railway junctions as well as 70 signals. The project will also replace over 100 different track circuits which will improve the information provided about the location of trains, improving infrastructure and leading to the reduction of train delays. Mitcham Eastfields will also have an upgraded CCTV on the level crossing as a part of the upgrade plans. The work will take place over the night and weekends when the railway is at its quietest levels.