Three escalators leading from Waterloo Underground station's main ticket hall to the National Rail concourse will be closed while they are being refurbished from Monday, 9 May to November 2005.

Tube Lines will be managing this complex work and rigorously testing the escalators.

While this is carried out passengers should use the following routes when interchanging between the Tube, National Rail or Eurostar services:

  • Waterloo & Cityline customers - exit at the front end of the platform and use exit 7 for connection with National Rail
  • Bakerloo & Northernline customers - use either entrance 6 (out to York Road) or entrance 7 (which comes up in the National Rail concourse near platform 7)
  • Jubilee line customers - use the entrance by McDonald's or entrance 7
  • South West Trains customers - use either entrance 6 or 7 depending on which Underground line is required
  • Eurostar customers - change between Waterloo terminal and Underground as normal
  • Southern & South Eastern Train Customers travelling via Waterloo East - connect with Jubilee line services at Southwark

Kevin Bootle, London Underground's Jubilee line Manager, said: "Over 64 million people use Waterloo Underground station every year and that number is rising, so it is essential that these escalators are refurbished.

"If only one escalator had been closed at a time, the work would have taken much longer - well over a year.

"Escalator machine rooms are extremely small and engineers cannot work next to a moving escalator for safety reasons.

'Greater operational flexibility'

"With just two escalators working, passengers would be reluctant to find an alternative route.

"It would put an enormous strain on those two escalators, which would struggle to cope with the number of people using them.

"This essential work is part of TfL's £10-billion investment over the next five years to improve and expand the capital's transport network.

"Although there will be some inconvenience, all the rail and Tube services are still accessible.

"Once the work is completed the three escalators will be fully reversible, which will allow far greater operational flexibility than before."

For 24-hour information on all London travel, please call: 020 7222 1234 or visit www.tfl.gov.uk.

  • TfL is investing £10 billion over the next 5 years to improve and expand London's transport network, over half of that in the Tube
  • Tube Lines is responsible for the maintenance and renewal of the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines