Whitechapel work prepares station for Elizabeth line services

01 July 2016

Customers are advised that due to Crossrail construction work taking place at Whitechapel station, there will be a partial closure of the East London line from Saturday 30 July through to Sunday 7 August 2016.

Work is taking place to build a new modern transport hub ahead of the arrival of Elizabeth line services in 2018. The addition of Elizabeth line services will be a huge boost for the area with up to 24 trains an hour in each direction, each carrying up to 1,500 passengers through the central section in peak times.

This will provide passengers with a frequent service to Heathrow, Paddington, the West End and Canary Wharf, radically reducing journey times and boosting jobs and the local economy.

A significant amount of work has already taken place at Whitechapel to rebuild the station, create new tunnels and build an interchange with Elizabeth line platforms. But while much of the work has been undertaken without the need to close the station, some service suspensions are required as the worksite is directly above London Overground tracks.

Mike Stubbs, TfL's Director of London Overground, said: `We have worked closely with Crossrail Limited to ensure that the work impacts on as few journeys as possible and take place during a quieter period on the network, when schools are on their summer break.'

London Overground services between Highbury & Islington and Shadwell will not operate from Saturday 30 July to Sunday 7 August and between Surrey Quays and New Cross from Monday 1 August to Friday 5 August. There will also be no service between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 July and Saturday 6 August and Sunday 7 August due to Network Rail track work. Rail replacement buses will be in operation.

For more information and travel advice about the London Overground part closure customers are advised to check the TfL website www.tfl.gov.uk/east-london-line-closure

A temporary station entrance was opened earlier this year to accommodate work to make Whitechapel station step-free. The station was originally opened 140 years ago and all access to Tube and London Overground services is currently via stairs. Once the work is complete in late 2018, new lifts from street level to all train platforms will make the station fully accessible for customers wanting to use the Elizabeth line, Tube or London Overground services. The ticket hall will also be refurbished and expanded with wider pathways and more ticket gates, giving customers a better, less crowded experience.

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Notes to editors:

Prudential RideLondon returns on the weekend of 30 and 31 July. This event will take place on traffic-free roads in London and Surrey

The organisers of the event are working with TfL to help residents and businesses along the route plan ahead. To avoid delays drivers are advised to avoid areas near the event routes. More information and advice will be available on tfl.gov.uk/ridelondon. TfL has also worked closely with the event organisers to ensure that the impact of the planned London Underground closures on the event is minimal.

There will be essential track replacement work at Camden Town Tube station starting on 30 July. The nature of the work means that there will need to be changes to northbound Northern line services over five working days. Between Monday 1 and Friday 5 August, northbound Northern line trains will run as follows:

  • Charing Cross branch trains will only go to High Barnet / Mill Hill East
  • Bank branch trains will only go to Edgware

The track replacement work will also require changes to Northern line services over three weekends, when there will be no service between Hampstead / High Barnet / Mill Hill East and Charing Cross / Moorgate

  • Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 Jul
  • Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 Augus
  • Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 August

The Elizabeth line will serve 40 stations and run more than 100 km from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21 km (13 miles) tunnels below central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

When the Elizabeth line opens it will increase central London's rail-based transport network capacity by 10 per cent, supporting regeneration and cutting journey times across the city. Services are due to commence through central London in 2018 and an estimated 200 million passengers will use the Elizabeth line annually.