Lineside signals removed from London commuter route following ETCS switch

Lineside signals have been from the Northern city Line between Finsbury Park and Moorgate.

The colour light signals were taken out over the weekend of May 17/18 as part of the £1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP) which replaces them with the in-cab European Train Control System (ETCS).

ETCS started being used along the route in November 2024 with the lineside signalling kept in place until mid-May.

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said the new technology “could reduce delays by up to a third”.

Ed Akers, industry partnership director, ECDP, at Network Rail, said: “This milestone represents a real step forward in how we work together as an industry to deliver change, with a deep collaboration across track and train. 

“The learnings we have had from delivering a no signals railway in the heart of London, are what will enable us to deliver a railway transformation on the East Coast Main Line and then nationally.”

The Northern City Line is operated exclusively by Govia Thameslink Railway Class 717 EMUs.

Ben Lane, infrastructure lead and ECDP project director at Siemens Mobility UK&I, added: “We will now see further benefits of ETCS on this route - from reduced maintenance and fewer disruptions to smoother, more reliable journeys for passengers.”

During the weekend more ECDP testing between Welwyn Garden City and Hitchin took place. More testing is due to take place in June.