A key London Underground line is set to close later this year as part of Transport for London (TfL) upgrade plans. 

The Piccadilly line upgrades will see brand new trains and a new look as £2.9 billion is expected to be spent on the project.

While a date for the line closures has not yet been confirmed, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has shared that TfL are currently deciding when the service will shut.

According to MyLondon, the first of the new trains for Piccadilly will arrive in London this year for testing before being used in service in 2025.

Your Local Guardian: The new trains will be in use from 2025.The new trains will be in use from 2025. (Image: PA)

Piccadilly line to close in 2024 as TfL make major upgrades

Discussing the line upgrades, Mayor Khan told the London Assembly: "In preparing for the new Piccadilly line trains there will be closures on the line for both infrastructure enhancements and testing the new trains. The dates of these closures are being agreed at the moment.

"An integrated customer communications plan is also being developed. Customers can sign up for email updates related to closures on the TfL website"

The upgrades to the Piccadilly line will not only see new trains but more frequent service, with plans for an increase of trains to be in place by 2027.

Recent documents from the TfL committee have shown that the project is still on track: "TfL had ensured it remained on track for the arrival of the first new train for testing in 2024, and entry into service in 2025. A greater number of trains than the original 50 per cent target would now be built in Goole, which was positive news for the UK and jobs in that region.

"Siemens was investing up to £200m in its facility, creating up to 700 jobs directly at its factory and up to 1,700 jobs within the wider supply chain."

What are the upgrades to the Piccadilly line?

TfL's £2.9b project is said to offer "more reliably, safely, inclusively and sustainably" services on the Piccadilly line.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Sharing that the service counts for more than 10% of all journeys on the Tube and along with adding new trains TfL will be " upgrading ageing assets on the line."

The new Tube trains will offer:

  • Walk-through carriages
  • Air-conditioning, for the first time on a deep Tube train
  • Wider all-double doorways to help customers get on and off more easily
  • Enhanced digital display screens for customer information
  • Improved step-free access from/onto the platform
  • On-train CCTV cameras for additional customer security

Altogether there will be 94 new trains that will replace the current 86, meaning there will be 27 trains on the line each hour.