Media centre

Monday 29 Jan 2018

Diversions for motorists and changes to trains in parts of south west London as £45m railway upgrade continues

Region & Route:

| Southern

Motorists and train passengers in south west London are being advised to allow more time for their journeys and to check before travelling as Network Rail continues work on a major railway signalling upgrade in Sutton and Mitcham.

Eastfield Road level crossing at Mitcham Eastfields station, Merton, will close to both pedestrians and vehicles from:

•  11pm Friday 23 February – 5am Monday 26 February 2018 

Over these dates pedestrians will be able to use the station footbridge and lifts to cross the railway. Motorists are advised to follow diversions via Commonside East. 

The work will also affect some Southern and Thameslink services, with buses replacing trains between Streatham and Sutton via Mitcham Junction and other services in the area running less frequently. Passengers are advised to check with their train operator or National Rail Enquiries before traveling.

John Halsall, Network Rail’s South East route managing director, said:

“I’d like to thank people for their patience as we work to improve the railway in south west London. Investment in modern technology, like new signalling, will help us cater for the growing number of people choosing to travel by train and provide a better, more reliable railway.”

The project is part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan and will see state-of-the-art computer-based technology installed along the busy commuter routes through Wimbledon, Sutton and Mitcham by Easter 2018. Signalling – the railway’s equivalent of traffic lights – will then be controlled from the most advanced signalling centre in the UK, Network Rail’s Rail Operating Centre at Three Bridges in West Sussex, helping reduce delays and provide more timely and accurate information to passengers. Eastfields Road level crossing will also be completely renewed as part of the project.

Further closures are planned from  10pm Thursday 29 March – 4am Tuesday 3 April 2018 (Easter Bank Holiday weekend).