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August Bank Holiday travel warning as rail improvement works scheduled at Crayford, near Dartford

Major railway improvement works will see certain travel routes suspended or diverted for passengers across the Southeastern travel network over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Network Rail has scheduled in improvement works to the tracks at a busy junction near Crayford on the Dartford line.

The new bridge replacing the 130-year-old structure in Catford will cause rail closures over the August bank holiday weekend. Picture: Network Rail
The new bridge replacing the 130-year-old structure in Catford will cause rail closures over the August bank holiday weekend. Picture: Network Rail

Engineers will be replacing points, the moveable rails which allow trains to change tracks.

A 130-year-old bridge near Catford will also be replaced as part of the £9.1 million works taking place between Saturday, August 29 and Bank Holiday Monday.

Passengers are being urged to check before they travel with buses set to replace trains between Sidcup and Dartford and Slade Green and Dartford.

Some services on other lines will also diverted or re-timed with TfL ticket acceptance in place for reasonable alternatives.

The junction at Crayford was originally installed as part of wartime resilience for the railway but is now one of the busiest on Southeastern’s Metro network, linking Sidcup with Dartford.

Network Rail says replacing the points there will help improve reliability for passengers across the area.

"It will give our passengers more reliable journeys by reducing the risk of delays..."

It forms part of a wider £1.25bn package to upgrade track, signalling, embankments, structures, stations and depots to give passengers in Kent and south east London better journeys, with fewer delays.

Network Rail’s route director for Kent, Fiona Taylor, said: “We know there is never a good time to close the railway, but the replacement of these life expired assets is vital to improve the reliability of journeys for our passengers.”

Southeastern train services director, Scott Brightwell said: “This is another important project under the south east upgrade that helps to improve our service. It will give our passengers more reliable journeys by reducing the risk of delays.

Buses will replace trains between Sidcup and Dartford and Slade Green and Dartford
Buses will replace trains between Sidcup and Dartford and Slade Green and Dartford

"Thanks for bearing with us while this essential work is carried out.”

Additional work will be completed while the railway is closed between Nunhead and Shortlands, in Bromley to avoid future disruption for passengers and deliver immediate benefits.

This will include embankment work, track work and work at Beckenham Hill station.

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