Stansted Airport today received the perfect gift in its 20th anniversary week with the official launch of the brand new Stansted Express trains.
At a special naming ceremony at London’s Liverpool Street station, theSecretary of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, unveiledthe first of the new trains that will begin to operate Stansted Airport andCambridge services from May this year.
The 120 new state-of-the-art class 379 Electrostar cars, ordered for theNational Express East Anglia network and manufactured by Bombardier at theonly site in the UK building trains today, will provide a major boost inquality, comfort and reliability for the thousands of passengers who usethe popular airport service every day.
To compliment the introduction of the new trains, and to increase railcapacity at Stansted, work is currently underway to lengthen platforms atthe airport’s railway station to allow for the operation of 12 car trainsas rail demand grows in the future.
Welcoming the launch of the new Stansted Express train, Nick Barton,Stansted’s Managing Director, said:
"We’re absolutely delighted to see the first new train for the StanstedExpress unveiled by the Secretary of State for Transport today, and we nowlook forward to May when we begin to welcome the new trains on the StanstedAirport service.
"Stansted is already the UK’s No1 major airport for passengers using publictransport so the long-awaited introduction of the new trains is reallygreat news. They are vital in helping us to promote the airport and deliverimprovements to the passenger journey.
"The replacement of the existing rolling stock gives Stansted the newesttrains serving any airport in the UK, and is a huge step in drivingStansted's importance in the key London and South East of England aviationmarket.
"The new trains will benefit our staff and commuters who rely on theservice to get to and from work, whether from London or Cambridge. Theywill also be welcomed by our local communities who will be able to usethese new trains and enjoy the enhanced comfort and quality they offer."
"With the 2012 Olympics just around the corner, the welcome to Britain andthe reputation of public transport in the UK will be in the spotlight likenever before, but we can all be rightly proud that the Stansted Express isclearly heading in the right direction.
