TRAIN passengers are set to benefit from a £210 million fleet of 150 new carriages.

South West Trains has announced its intention to award a contract to manufacturer Siemens and leasing company Angel Trains after it was agreed with the Department for Transport.

The 30 new five-carriage Desiro City trains will boost capacity on services, providing for more than 24,000 extra peak-time passengers.

The trains will be used on a number of routes, including Basingstoke to London Waterloo.

The first of the 150 new carriages will begin arriving in 2017 and will be in service by early 2018.

Around 140 new jobs will also be created, with new employment opportunities available for engineers, drivers, guards and maintenance staff.

The new trains will be maintained by South West Trains at Wimbledon dept.

The latest investment comes as South West Trains continues the roll-out of a £65 million investment in 108 additional refurbished carriages for the network.

Combined with the order for new trains, this will deliver a total peak-time capacity increase of around 30 per cent by 2018.

It is part of a five-year plan to transform services for passengers, incorporating longer platforms, full re-opening of platforms at the former Waterloo International Terminal and other associated infrastructure improvements.

Over 222 million passenger journeys are made on the network every year.

Tim Shoveller, chief executive for the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance, said: “These exciting plans will deliver the biggest step-change in capacity and service to our customers on the network in decades.

“As well as providing extra space for passengers using our services now, the combination of investment in the infrastructure and these new trains will create space at Waterloo that is the essential first step to allow an increase in capacity for our longer distance, mainline services. We will also continue to work with industry partners to develop options for the longer term.

“The unique Alliance between South West Trains and Network Rail means that we have been able to work together to deliver an effective and value for money solution to a complex challenge that also involves major infrastructure improvements at the UK’s busiest station.

“This is a great example of one of the major benefits that can be offered by working in partnership and it will ultimately deliver capacity for over 24,000 additional peak-time passengers every day.”

Rail Minister Claire Perry added: “This latest new train deal is proof not only of our determination to transform Britain’s railways but also the industry’s commitment to deliver a better journey for Britain’s passengers.”