Value for money?

Redhill station reopened with a new Platform 0 on January 2. Heralded as much improved, it has already proved to be illthought-out and unfit for purpose.

The design of the new

platform has been built around the engineer’s requirements. For example, signalling engineers have managed to erect a signal gantry about three coach lengths from the platform’s southern end. As a result, the 12-coach platform length is now a 15-coach platform length. The increased length has resulted in Platform 1 becoming cut off from the main line, providing less flexibility.

The budget (£60 million for the remodelling of the station, its track and its signaling) also seems high for what has been delivered.

There does not seem to be any mechanism at NR that ‘challenges’ engineering decisions or provides a ‘reality check’ that what is proposed is actually delivering an improvement and value for money. Project costs could (and should) have been saved. It would also have eradicated the wasted extra platform length that will not be used.

Perhaps if the project had been ‘checked’, then Platform 1 would still connect towards London, and a passenger bridge built on the north end across the platforms that would have benefited passengers destined to continue to suffer unnecessary last-minute platform changes.

The solution provided does not merit the £60m price tag, and is certainly not value for money. If you multiple these small projects across the country, and the missed opportunities to make proper design decisions that would result in cost savings or better value-formoney, you begin to understand why Network Rail’s costs are so vast. Martin Horne, Redhil