Covid: London Tube line to reopen after 15 months

Trains will run on weekdays during morning and evening peak hours

A London Underground line which has been entirely shut since the start of the pandemic is to reopen in June, transport bosses have announced.

The Waterloo and City Line, linking Waterloo Station to Bank, stopped running in March last year as part of efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Trains will begin running again on 21 June, with services on weekdays during the morning and evening peak hours.

London's mayor said it was an important milestone for the capital.

The popular commuter line stopped working on 20 March 2020 following government advice that people should start working from home.

The line has been shut to passengers since 20 March 2020

When it reopens trains will run every five minutes between 06:00 and 10:00, and 15:30 and 19:00.

Transport for London (TfL) has also announced the number of people who will be able to board buses will be increased from Monday, with nearly all seats except those that are rear-facing being made available for use.

Those using public transport still need to wear face coverings.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan described the resumption of the "vital" line as "an important milestone in the reopening of our city" which would "help get our central London economy back on track".

Catherine McGuinness, policy chair at the City of London Corporation, said it was "an exciting moment in the return to normality".

The restarting of the line coincides with the day the government had aimed to remove all legal limits on social contact, although the prime minister has warned easing could be delayed due to the threat of the Indian virus variant.