Rail passengers could face huge delays to journeys during the half-term break as routes across south London will shut for up to seven days.
Trains will grind to a halt for a week from Saturday, October 26 to Friday, November 1 while Network Rail upgrades a signalling system, as part of a £400 million investment in new tracks and signalling upgrades in the south of the city.
The upgrades will take place between Crystal Palace, Tulse Hill and Peckham Rye, closing some London Overground routes as well as popular railway lines.
Similar works were previously completed between East Croydon and London Victoria in 2022, more than halving the number of signalling delays between the stations.
During the seven-day, half-term closure Thameslink passengers travelling between Herne Hill, Wimbledon and Sutton are advised to use Buses or alternative rail routes.
There will also be no Southern services between Balham and London Bridge, London Victoria and West Croydon (via Crystal Palace), and London Bridge and Streatham, on Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27.
On the same dates, there will also be no trains between London Bridge and Beckenham Junction.
No trains will also run between London Bridge and Streatham, and between London Bridge and Beckenham Junction from Monday, October 28 to Friday, November 1.
On those dates trains which usually run between London Bridge and Victoria, and between Victoria and West Croydon (via Crystal Place), will only run between Victoria and Streatham Hill. Additional trains will run between London Bridge and Sutton via West Croydon.
London Overground services between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction will be replaced by buses throughout the seven-day closure.
Overground trains between Sydenham and Crystal Palace are also suspended from Saturday, October 26 to Tuesday, October 29 to allow the improvement works to take place.
From Saturday, October 26 to Tuesday, October 29 there will also be an amended service on Overground routes between Highbury & Islington and West Croydon and New Cross.
Network Rail’s Sussex route director Lucy McAuliffe said: “It vital that we continue to invest to modernise our assets and give passengers the delay-free journeys they expect.
“Signalling upgrades between East Croydon and London Victoria in 2022 saw delays cut by more than half and we are expecting this phase of signalling upgrades in the Crystal Palace, Tulse Hill and Peckham Rye areas to deliver a similarly impressive reduction in delays when it comes into use.
“We know the work means days of major changes to journeys for passengers and we are sorry for the disruption. Please plan ahead, look out for further updates and follow travel advice.”
