WIREDGOV

The contractor has been chosen to carry out work on lengthening some of London Overground's station platforms ready for longer trains.

The appointment of Cleshar by Transport for London is part of a huge upgrade programme designed to provide an extra 25 per cent capacity to meet the rapidly increasing demand on the Capital's train network.

Work is expected to start in autumn, and the first of the longer trains are due to be in service by December 2014.

These will run on the east London route - Highbury & Islington to New Cross, Crystal Palace, West Croydon - and the South London route to Clapham Junction, with five carriages, rather than four.

The stations affected are: Highbury & Islington, Canonbury, Hoxton, Haggerston, Dalston Junction, Shoreditch, Shadwell, Wapping, Canada Water and Surrey Quays on the east London route and Wandsworth High Street, Clapham High Street and Clapham Junction on the South London route.