London Waterloo platform closures: Summer disruption warning

Passengers are being advised to make other plans if possible

Hundreds of thousands of passengers have been warned to expect disruption this summer at London Waterloo, the UK's busiest railway station.

Network Rail said some platforms would be closed between 5 and 28 August for extension work. It suggested people try to avoid the station altogether.

The £800m redevelopment is part of a project to bring five former Eurostar platforms back into service.

Once complete, there will be 30% more platform space at the station.

But Network Rail warned the work would mean there will be fewer trains on the South West Trains (SWT) network during the summer holidays.

South West Trains said stations would have fewer services and some would close altogether while the work takes place.

A Eurostar leaves Waterloo in 1995. The platforms will now be used for suburban services

It said passengers should "consider their journeys" well ahead of the summer.

When the work is completed, South West Trains will be able to run longer, 10-carriage trains on suburban routes, once a new timetable comes into force in December.

Becky Lumlock, of Network Rail, said: "Right now we're in the midst of the largest upgrade at Waterloo for decades and this is a significant part of Network Rail's national railway upgrade plan.

"This means big changes for passengers and we want them to be well-equipped to plan ahead.

"Fewer trains will be arriving and departing at Waterloo, and some stations will close entirely.

"This is why we're asking passengers to check how they will be affected now so that they can plan ahead, either by planning to travel at different times of day or working from home on some days during the works."

SWT managing director Christian Roth said: "This is the biggest investment in this railway for decades and it will provide a significant increase in capacity for the thousands of passengers who use this railway every day."

A new concourse will open at Waterloo in 2018