Gatwick Express to Victoria station to close over Easter as Network Rail upgrades switches and crossings

The Gatwick Express will be not be running for the duration of the Easter weekend due to upgrade work by Network Rail.

Southern services on the Sussex route into Victoria station are also closed from April 7-10.

Network Rail engineers will be renewing outdated switches and crossings at Streatham to improve safety and reliability.

No trains will run between East Croydon and London Victoria. Most Southern services will be diverted to London Bridge.

Southern said Gatwick Express customers should use Thameslink or other Southern services.

Tickets will be accepted on London Underground services between Victoria, London Bridge and Clapham Junction stations, and on replacement buses running between Clapham Junction and East Croydon.

Other south London and Sussex Southern timetables will be amended.

More work is planned on the weekends of April 22-23 and April 29-30.

Network Rail

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, said: “I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we carry out these important upgrades over the Easter period. There is never a good time to close the railway but we have chosen to complete this work over the Easter weekend when passenger numbers are generally lower to help minimise disruption.

“The upgrades we’re making as part of the London Victoria signalling programme are vital in modernising the dated track and signalling into London Victoria and the railway in south London. More reliable equipment that is less likely to break and is easier to fix will mean passengers will benefit from fewer delays and more reliable journeys.

“I encourage any passengers that are intending to travel by train over Easter to please plan ahead and check their journeys with their train operator.”

London Victoria signalling upgrade

The London Victoria signalling upgrade programme is a four-year project to modernise 1980s track and signalling in south London and into London Victoria.

The Easter work will conclude the third phase of upgrades, between London Victoria to Clapham Junction and Balham, completing a £160m investment into the area.

Network Rail says that the new equipment will mean fewer faults and delays for passengers - and that it will be easier to maintain and fix when things do go wrong., and this new equipment will be easier to maintain, fix and find faults when something does go wrong.

Govia Thameslink Railway

Jenny Saunders, customer services director for Govia Thameslink Railway, which owns Southern Railway, said: “We really appreciate our customers’ patience while Network Rail carry out these major improvement programmes, and we’re sorry for the inconvenience and extra journey time some passengers will experience. We’re working closely with Network Rail to plan this work for when it’s least disruptive, and the result will be more reliable journeys for everyone using Victoria in the future.

“We’re advising people to check journey planners in advance, and for those travelling in and out of central London to use London Bridge or Blackfriars – we've arranged ticket acceptance for our customers to use Tube links to and from Victoria as necessary.”