Media centre

Friday 8 Jan 2021

Passengers who must travel urged to plan ahead as vital work continues on the £1.2billion East Coast Upgrade this month

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: East Coast

• People must follow the latest Government guidance and not travel except for limited reasons

• Major improvement work means there are changes to services over the next four weekends in January

Network Rail, Thameslink and Great Northern are urging passengers who need to travel on the East Coast Main Line on weekends in January to plan ahead, as major improvement work continues on the £1.2billion East Coast Upgrade.

The East Coast Upgrade is the biggest investment in the route in a generation and will bring a more modern, reliable railway for passengers, transforming journeys between London, Peterborough and Cambridge.

This month, teams will install new overhead line equipment and improve the signalling at London King’s Cross, as well as carry out maintenance work between Peterborough and Hitchin, which will improve reliability for passengers. This work is being carried out safely, in line with Government guidance. 

People should continue to follow the latest Government guidance and must stay at home except for limited reasons. If you need to travel, you should walk or cycle where possible, and plan ahead to avoid busy times and routes on public transport. Passengers are strongly advised to check their journeys and allow plenty of time.

• No services will run between Peterborough and Hitchin on weekends in January, with buses replacing trains
• London King’s Cross will be partially closed on 9/10, 16/17 and 23/24 January but nearly all the usual Thameslink and Great Northern trains will be running.

• On 10, 17, 24 January, there will be no trains to or from Moorgate until around 08:45 and no trains between Finsbury Park and Kings Cross until around 10:20. Passengers who need to travel should use replacement buses or London Underground services instead.

• On 30/ 31 January, there will be no trains at all south of Potters Bar and Gordon Hill, to or from London King’s Cross, Moorgate and St Pancras International via Finsbury Park. Replacement buses will run from Potters Bar to St Albans, where passengers change to alternative Thameslink services to/from St Pancras International. Buses will also run from Potters Bar/Gordon Hill to London Underground stations.

Further north, significant work is being carried out to build a new tunnel under the railway near Peterborough. Between Saturday 16 and Sunday 24 January, a massive concrete structure, which is heavier than the Eiffel Tower, will be pushed under the East Coast Main Line as part of the £1.2billion upgrade. Once complete, it will separate slow-moving freight from long-distance passenger trains – speeding journeys and improving reliability. During this time, passengers who have to travel to/from the north may need to complete their journey by coach.

Ed Akers, Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail’s East Coast Upgrade, said: “These improvements are vital and will bring more reliable journeys for passengers.

“Please continue to follow the latest Government guidance. If you must travel, plan ahead and allow plenty of time. As we make major progress on the East Coast Upgrade, I’d like to thank passengers for their continued patience.”

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director for Great Northern and Thameslink, said: "The latest Government advice is to stay at home or stay local to help tackle the spread of Covid-19, so if you are thinking of travelling with us, then please first consider the restrictions in place. For anyone who must travel, please check our website before heading out to the station, as there are significant changes to our Thameslink and Great Northern trains every weekend this month with more changes set to follow."

ENDS