Transport for London (TfL) has announced a series of planned closures on the Piccadilly line, impacting commuters travelling to and from Rayners Lane in Harrow.
These closures are necessary to complete essential track and platform upgrades ahead of the arrival of the first new Piccadilly line test train later this year, with a fleet of 94 new trains set to serve the line starting in 2025.
In July and August, weekend part closures will be in effect, followed by a significant 16-day part closure from Saturday, 17 August, to Sunday, 1 September. During this period, the line will be closed between Wood Green and Cockfosters, as well as between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge.
TfL will provide rail replacement buses to assist customers, and advises travelers to use local bus services for connections to alternative Tube and rail stations for faster routes to central London.
Work will include renewing tracks, points, and crossings in the Arnos Grove area and upgrading infrastructure around Cockfosters Tube station, Cockfosters Depot, and the Arnos Grove train sidings.
This work is crucial for preparing the line for the new Piccadilly line trains, part of a £2.9bn investment to modernise the service.
Stuart Harvey, Chief Capital Officer at TfL, shared his gratitude for commuters’ patience, stating, “I’d like to thank our customers for their patience while we carry out these essential upgrades to the Piccadilly line. The closures will help us prepare for the arrival of the fleet of 94 brand-new trains which will transform journeys on the line in the coming decades.
“Introducing a new fleet of trains is a huge engineering and logistical feat. Although much of the hard work goes on behind the scenes, there are times when we need to close sections of the railway to ensure that all existing infrastructure is compatible with the new trains. Closures of this type are scheduled to take place, where possible, in school holidays when demand on our network is significantly reduced.”
Up to 80% of the new trains will be manufactured in the UK at Siemens Mobility’s new facility in Goole, Yorkshire. These trains will feature modern amenities including walk-through carriages, wider doorways for easier boarding, enhanced digital displays, on-train CCTV cameras, and air-conditioning—a first for Deep Tube trains.
TfL advises Piccadilly line customers to plan their journeys using TfL’s real-time travel information tools, including the TfL Journey Planner and TfL Go, and to check for detailed travel advice on TfL’s dedicated webpage: TfL Piccadilly Line Upgrade.
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
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