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Thursday 28 Apr 2022

Network Rail eases back on engineering for Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend, but keep your eyes out for changes in Sussex and Kent this early May Bank Holiday

Region & Route:

Southern: Kent

| Southern

Passengers are advised to plan ahead over the May Bank Holiday weekend as Network Rail works on two major projects to improve the railway.

The £160m Victoria to Clapham and Balham resignalling scheme continues. No trains will run between East Croydon and London Victoria over all three days of the long weekend

An ongoing rebuilding of a railway junction in Tonbridge, Kent, continues too, with new points being put in place, again over the long weekend. There will be a rail replacement bus service from Tonbridge to Paddock Wood and between Tonbridge and Wadhurst for all three days.

Over the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend (June 2-5) all major routes into London in the South will remain open to people enjoying the long weekend across the region*.

Network Rail Southern region’s managing director John Halsall said: “We know how frustrating it is for people when we keep doing work on Bank Holidays, and we are always looking for ways to minimise disruption to passengers. For these major projects it’s still the best way of getting the work done and the jobs they’re doing will provide a more reliable railway for everyone.

“That being said, the vast majority of the rail network will be open this May Bank Holiday weekend and we’ve been able organise our schedules to keep most lines open so that people can enjoy the Queens’s Platinum Jubilee via rail in June, too”. 

Scott Brightwell, Operations & Safety Director for Southeastern, said: “While our partners at Network Rail will need to carry out essential improvement work over the May bank holiday on routes into Victoria and in the Tonbridge area, the railway will remain mostly open during the long weekend for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

“This means that trains remain a great option for those who still need to travel for work, and for many will mean a chance to visit their family and friends and take advantage of everything that the south-east has to offer, much of which can be reached by train.”

Southern’s Customer Services Director Chris Fowler said: “With no services between Victoria and Balham or East Croydon this long bank holiday weekend, our customers should allow extra time to travel and plan ahead to use alternative routes by bus or Tube. We've information on our websites and nationalrail.co.uk. The work is essential and will give passengers more reliable journeys in the future."

*The only work in the South East on the Queen's Jubilee weekend is on the line from Hayes to Lewisham, which is closed for track improvements.