Work begins to cool the platforms at two major central London stations

Work has commenced at Green Park and Oxford Circus stations. Work will be completed during summer 2012.

 

London Underground has announced plans to lower the temperature on platforms at Green Park and Oxford Circus stations this summer thanks to the installation of new 'air handling' technology.

As part of an ongoing programme of work to cool the Tube work will begin later this month on the installation of air cooling units at both stations.

At Green Park station borehole cooling technology will be used. London Underground has already successfully drilled wells to source naturally cool water from deep below Green Park and will now install air cooling units that will use the water to cool the Victoria and Piccadilly line platforms.

At Oxford Circus station there are already air cooling units in the ticket hall however they will now be installed on every platform (Bakerloo, Central and Victoria lines).

The new units will use cool air provided by chiller units that will be installed on top of a building owned by Transport for London, which is adjacent to the station.

Morgan Sindall have been awarded the contract for work to install eight air cooling units at Green Park and Birse Metro have been awarded the contract to install 14 air cooling units as well as associated construction services at Oxford Circus.

The work will be project-managed by London Underground using tight controls to ensure the programme is delivered efficiently and with the minimum disruption for passengers.

David Waboso, Capital Programmes Director, said: 'Cooling the Tube is one of the greatest engineering challenges faced by London Underground.

'But these contracts will make a difference for passengers on the busy platforms at Green Park and Oxford Circus when work is complete this summer.

'We are investing millions to cool temperatures for passengers through a programme that will include the delivery of new air-conditioned s-stock trains, which were introduced on the Metropolitan line in 2010 but will also be rolled out across the Circle, Hammersmith & City and District lines.'

Isabel Dedring, Deputy Mayor of Transport, said: 'This work will be a welcome improvement for passengers using these stations.

'But it is just part of the work we are carrying out to cool the Tube, of which the most significant is the 22 air-conditioned trains currently in service with over 150 more to follow by 2016.'

(TFL)