Kentish Town Tube station reopens after 18 months

The escalators have been replaced

Kentish Town London Underground station has finally reopened after 18 months.

Originally due to reopen in June 2024 following repairs to what Transport for London (TfL) labelled "the most unreliable" escalators on the network, the date was pushed back twice due to degrading concrete in the ceiling and floor.

Although the Tube station is open, passengers cannot change on to the railway because Thameslink trains are not calling at the station until 30 December due to engineering works.

The station, in north-west London, will close early on Tuesday as services wind down for Christmas and reopen on Boxing Day with a Sunday service operating.

The prolonged closure of the Northern line station has been criticised by local businesses.

As part of the work to replace escalators installed in 1997, TfL decided to carry out renovations of the old ticket hall and install more ticket barriers.

Richard Jones, TfL's director of asset performance delivery, said: "I'd like to thank our customers for their patience while we replaced the escalators at Kentish Town Tube station, particularly as the work took longer than originally planned due to additional challenges that were uncovered once the complex work had begun.

"The new escalators will greatly improve journeys through the station and are expected to be in service for the next 40 years."