Passengers planning to travel from Harrow and the surrounding areas using the West Coast main line this Easter are being reminded to plan their journeys well in advance.
This is due to major improvements being made to a railway junction in Watford, which will cause Euston station to be closed for four days, affecting services between London and Crewe.
Network Rail is investing £10.8m to upgrade track and overhead lines on the West Coast South route, aimed at improving future journeys. However, to complete the final phase of the project, all four West Coast main line tracks will need to be closed at Watford, leading to longer journey times, busier trains and rail replacement buses in operation during the railway closure.
All trains will start and finish at Milton Keynes between Good Friday (7 April) and Easter Monday (11 April), with rail replacement bus services connecting passengers with other main lines for onward travel into London. With the closure of Euston station, passengers travelling from Harrow and surrounding areas are advised to plan their journeys on either side of the bank holiday period to avoid disruption.
James Dean, Network Rail’s West Coast South route director, said: “This Easter bank holiday weekend we’re returning to Watford Junction to complete a huge £15m upgrade which will transform the way we can move trains through the area, meaning fewer delays and extra capacity on this economically important passenger and freight route.”
Passengers using the West Coast main line are urged to plan their journeys well in advance and to check the National Rail website for the latest travel information. It is recommended to avoid travelling during the bank holiday period, and to plan journeys for Thursday 6 April and Tuesday 12 April. The closure of Euston station for four days highlights the importance of planning ahead, especially for Harrow passengers who may be affected by the disruption.
Transport for London is also carrying out improvements over the Easter bank holiday on the: Elizabeth line, London Overground, London Trams, Jubilee line, Metropolitan line and DLR.
For information on how upgrade work across the TfL network could impact Easter journeys visit www.tfl.gov.uk/easter.
