Latest news with #SambitBanerjee
Metro
6 days ago
- Business
- Metro
Piccadilly line's new air conditioned trains delayed while London faces heatwave
The launch of the new, air-conditioned Piccadilly line Tube trains has been pushed back by a year. Londoners have been at the grips of a heatwave, with many facing an unbearably hot commute on the London Underground as temperatures reached 33°C. Only a handful of Tube lines currently have a cooling system, and new Piccadilly line carriages will be the sixth route with air conditioning once they launch. The new Piccadilly line trains were due to be up and running by the end of 2025, but now this has been pushed back into next year, TfL revealed. Transport for London had initially said the fleet of 94 new deep-level trains with 10% more capacity and walk-through carriages would be ready this year. The 'pioneering' train is the first deep level Tube train with air conditioning in London, with the system placed under the train to save space. However, after the novel trains were delivered and assessed by engineers, they found testing to get them ready for integration and passenger service will be 'more complex than expected,' TfL warned. Stuart Harvey, TfL's chief capital officer, said: 'We're proud and excited that these innovative new trains on the Piccadilly line will have a transformative effect for London. 'This hugely complex project will boost capacity and make journeys more accessible and more comfortable for millions of people. Here are some of the features found on the new carriages. Walk-through carriages Air-conditioning Wider all-double doorways Enhanced customer information digital display screens Improved step-free access from/onto the platform On-train CCTV 'This is an ambitious project with new 21st century trains providing engineering challenges in both building and introduction into service on a 20th century railway and it is critical that we ensure that safety comes first and that the trains are in top condition when they begin to service London. 'It will obviously be disappointing for customers that they will have to wait a bit longer for the new trains, and I regret that. 'But I would like to assure Londoners and visitors to our city that we are working extremely closely with Siemens to ensure that the new trains can be introduced as soon as possible in the second half of next year.' More Trending Sambit Banerjee, the joint CEO of Siemens Mobility, said: 'We're sorry we can't have our innovative trains running for passengers even sooner but, once they're in service, the technology on these new trains will bring smoother, greener and more comfortable journeys for Londoners for the next 30 or more years.' The Piccadilly line fleet has been serving Londoners since 1973, but they are in need of a revamp as passenger numbers and needs have grown. Once the 86 trains are phased out, the line will have 27 trains every hour instead of the previous, meaning one train every 135 seconds at peak times. Some of the new carriages were vandalised after they were delivered to the depot last year, months before they could even enter service. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: One of London Underground's top lines is running vintage 1930s trains this summer MORE: Former ITV presenter Selina Scott viciously attacked by gang in broad daylight MORE: Windrush activists rally government to save Notting Hill carnival
BBC News
20-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New Piccadilly line trains delayed by up to a year
New Piccadilly line trains will now be introduced up to a year later than 94 fully walk-through trains with air-conditioning and CCTV had been pencilled in for passenger use in late for London (TfL) confirmed that this was now scheduled to happen in the second half of for the trains will begin this summer, TfL said. The new-generation trains will replace the existing 1970s fleet. The new trains will be lighter and more environmentally friendly, with real-time displays and wider doorways. The model is being described as the "most complex" train ever to be introduced to the Tube said some of the engineering challenges were down to the Piccadilly line being one of the longest and deepest Tube lines. The network added that the engineering complexities had been more challenging than expected, which had caused the delay to the rollout. Siemens Mobility and TfL said it would take up to a year to test the trains, which is partly due to the tunnel infrastructure on a rail line that is nearly 120 years Banerjee, Joint CEO at Siemens Mobility, said: "We're sorry we can't have our innovative trains running for passengers even sooner but, once they're in service, the technology on these new trains will bring smoother, greener and more comfortable journeys for Londoners for the next 30 or more years."
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Delays on train orders putting factory jobs at risk, MPs told
Thousands of rail manufacturing jobs will be put at risk if the Government fails to sign off on a backlog of orders for new trains, bosses have warned. Executives from manufacturers Alstom and Siemens told MPs that long gaps between contracts for new trains on Britain's rail network would jeopardise production and threaten jobs. Only three tenders for new trains are in the offing, with both companies warning that they face a cliff edge in the rate they can build trains if they fail to win at least one of them. The businesses support thousands of jobs across the country, with Alstom's Derby factory dating back 140 years and Siemens having opened its first British plant in Goole, East Yorkshire, in October. Sambit Banerjee, Siemens Mobility's UK chief executive, urged the Government to establish a five-year, fully-funded pipeline of orders to safeguard jobs. 'We see an immediate necessity to push ahead with procurement. A lot of stock is very, very old and to upgrade it is much more expensive than bringing new trains in,' he told the Commons transport select committee. 'What the industry wants is certainty of the pipeline and certainty of the projects coming on time. We want to win competitively, but we are not getting that opportunity.' Since taking power last year, the Labour Government has pledged to establish an industrial strategy for rolling-stock and end what it called the boom-and-bust cycle of train orders by ensuring a strong pipeline of work. However, Mr Banerjee warned that Britain risks missing out on future spending if there are no orders to chase following investment such as the £340m that Siemens devoted to the Goole plant. He said: 'When I go to Munich I'm fighting with emerging economies and with the US, who are also asking for research and development money. 'If our shareholders give us £340m there has to then be projects coming to fruition.' Mr Banerjee added that while refurbishment work can help bridge the gap between new orders, this often represents poor value for money, pointing to upgrades to the 52-year-old Bakerloo Line trains for Transport for London (TfL). Siemens will also complete a contract for 94 Piccadilly Line trains in two years, Mr Banerjee said, after which the Goole site, which employs 700 people, faces 'a stiff drop' in production unless it wins work on trains for the Southeastern, TransPennine or Northern networks. A four-year funding settlement for TfL announced on Wednesday by Rachel Reeves in the Chancellor's spending review should also fund a shorter term order for new Bakerloo Line trains. Bidding for tenders has not been helped by changes to specifications and the number of trains needed, making it 'extraordinarily difficult for us as manufacturers to plan,' he said. Alstom, whose Derby Litchurch Lane site is Britain's biggest train factory with 1,500 workers, is also concerned. Peter Broadley, the company's commercial director, told the committee: 'There has been barely any rolling-stock procurement since the pandemic. If we were to win none of the three coming up it would be a tough environment.' Alstom was last year awarded a top-up order for 90 Elizabeth Line carriages that saved the Derby site from potential closure ahead of fitting out work on trains for High Speed 2. The companies face competition for contracts from Hitachi, which employs 700 people in Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham, and CAF of Spain, which operates a smaller plant in Newport, Wales. Hitachi was itself handed a lifeline in December with a £500m, 14-train deal from FirstGroup's Lumo brand, which will compete with the nationalised Great British Railways. Labour said last year that the rolling-stock sector would not be taken under state control, given costs estimated to be £10bn. The Department for Transport was contacted for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
11-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Delays on train orders putting factory jobs at risk, MPs told
Thousands of rail manufacturing jobs will be put at risk if the Government fails to sign off on a backlog of orders for new trains, bosses have warned. Executives from manufacturers Alstom and Siemens told MPs that long gaps between contracts for new trains on Britain's rail network would jeopardise production and threaten jobs. Only three tenders for new trains are in the offing, with both companies warning that they face a cliff edge in the rate they can build trains if they fail to win at least one of them. Both businesses employ thousands of workers across the country, with Alstom's Derby factory dating back 140 years and Siemens having opened its first British plant in Goole, East Yorkshire, in October. Sambit Banerjee, Siemens Mobility's UK chief executive, urged the Government to establish a five-year, fully-funded pipeline of orders to safeguard jobs. 'We see an immediate necessity to push ahead with procurement. A lot of stock is very, very old and to upgrade it is much more expensive than bringing new trains in,' he told the Commons transport select committee. 'What the industry wants is certainty of the pipeline and certainty of the projects coming on time. We want to win competitively, but we are not getting that opportunity.' Since taking power last year, the Labour Government has pledged to establish an industrial strategy for rolling-stock and end what it called the boom-and-bust cycle of train orders by ensuring a strong pipeline of work. However, Mr Banerjee warned that Britain risks missing out on future spending if there are no orders to chase following investment such as the £340m that Siemens devoted to the Goole plant. He said: 'When I go to Munich I'm fighting with emerging economies and with the US, who are also asking for research and development money. 'If our shareholders give us £340m there has to then be projects coming to fruition.' Mr Banerjee added that while refurbishment work can help bridge the gap between new orders, this often represents poor value for money, pointing to upgrades to the 52-year-old Bakerloo Line trains for Transport for London (TfL). Siemens will also complete a contract for 94 Piccadilly Line trains in two years, Mr Banerjee said, after which the Goole site, which employs 700 people, faces 'a stiff drop' in production unless it wins work on trains for the Southeastern, TransPennine or Northern networks. A four-year funding settlement for TfL announced on Wednesday by Rachel Reeves in the Chancellor's spending review should also fund a shorter term order for new Bakerloo Line trains. Bidding for tenders has not been helped by changes to specifications and the number of trains needed, making it 'extraordinarily difficult for us as manufacturers to plan,' he said. Alstom, whose Derby Litchurch Lane site is Britain's biggest train factory with 1,500 workers, is also concerned. Peter Broadley, the company's commercial director, told the committee: 'There has been barely any rolling-stock procurement since the pandemic. If we were to win none of the three coming up it would be a tough environment.' Alstom was last year awarded a top-up order for 90 Elizabeth Line carriages that saved the Derby site from potential closure ahead of fitting out work on trains for High Speed 2. The companies face competition for contracts from Hitachi, which employs 700 people in Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham, and CAF of Spain, which operates a smaller plant in Newport, Wales. Hitachi was itself handed a lifeline in December with a £500m, 14-train deal from FirstGroup's Lumo brand, which will compete with the nationalised Great British Railways. Labour said last year that the rolling-stock sector would not be taken under state control, given costs estimated to be £10bn. The Department for Transport was contacted for comment.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Delays on train orders putting factory jobs at risk, MPs told
Thousands of rail manufacturing jobs will be put at risk if the Government fails to sign off on a backlog of orders for new trains, bosses have warned. Executives from manufacturers Alstom and Siemens told MPs that long gaps between contracts for new trains on Britain's rail network would jeopardise production and threaten jobs. Only three tenders for new trains are in the offing, with both companies warning that they face a cliff edge in the rate they can build trains if they fail to win at least one of them. Both businesses employ thousands of workers across the country, with Alstom's Derby factory dating back 140 years and Siemens having opened its first British plant in Goole, East Yorkshire, in October. Sambit Banerjee, Siemens Mobility's UK chief executive, urged the Government to establish a five-year, fully-funded pipeline of orders to safeguard jobs. 'We see an immediate necessity to push ahead with procurement. A lot of stock is very, very old and to upgrade it is much more expensive than bringing new trains in,' he told the Commons transport select committee. 'What the industry wants is certainty of the pipeline and certainty of the projects coming on time. We want to win competitively, but we are not getting that opportunity.' Since taking power last year, the Labour Government has pledged to establish an industrial strategy for rolling-stock and end what it called the boom-and-bust cycle of train orders by ensuring a strong pipeline of work. However, Mr Banerjee warned that Britain risks missing out on future spending if there are no orders to chase following investment such as the £340m that Siemens devoted to the Goole plant. He said: 'When I go to Munich I'm fighting with emerging economies and with the US, who are also asking for research and development money. 'If our shareholders give us £340m there has to then be projects coming to fruition.' Mr Banerjee added that while refurbishment work can help bridge the gap between new orders, this often represents poor value for money, pointing to upgrades to the 52-year-old Bakerloo Line trains for Transport for London (TfL). Siemens will also complete a contract for 94 Piccadilly Line trains in two years, Mr Banerjee said, after which the Goole site, which employs 700 people, faces 'a stiff drop' in production unless it wins work on trains for the Southeastern, TransPennine or Northern networks. A four-year funding settlement for TfL announced on Wednesday by Rachel Reeves in the Chancellor's spending review should also fund a shorter term order for new Bakerloo Line trains. Bidding for tenders has not been helped by changes to specifications and the number of trains needed, making it 'extraordinarily difficult for us as manufacturers to plan,' he said. Alstom, whose Derby Litchurch Lane site is Britain's biggest train factory with 1,500 workers, is also concerned. Peter Broadley, the company's commercial director, told the committee: 'There has been barely any rolling-stock procurement since the pandemic. If we were to win none of the three coming up it would be a tough environment.' Alstom was last year awarded a top-up order for 90 Elizabeth Line carriages that saved the Derby site from potential closure ahead of fitting out work on trains for High Speed 2. The companies face competition for contracts from Hitachi, which employs 700 people in Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham, and CAF of Spain, which operates a smaller plant in Newport, Wales. Hitachi was itself handed a lifeline in December with a £500m, 14-train deal from FirstGroup's Lumo brand, which will compete with the nationalised Great British Railways. Labour said last year that the rolling-stock sector would not be taken under state control, given costs estimated to be £10bn. The Department for Transport was contacted for comment. Sign in to access your portfolio
