Having been conveying commuters between the pavement and the platform for over 35 years now, it seems as though the 10 escalators at City Thameslink station have reached the end of their journey. And Network Rail has just announced that in order to replace them as efficiently as possible, the major central London transport hub will be closing its doors for over 7 months next year.
When will City Thameslink station be closed?
City Thameslink will be closing its doors on May 17 and keeping them firmly shut until mid-December whilst the extensive work takes place.
Why is City Thameslink station closing?
City Thameslink’s aforementioned escalators have reached ‘the end of their operational life’ and are becoming increasingly unreliable because of it. They’ve been putting in a solid shift for over 35 years, so were already in need of some TLC – but recent flooding has exacerbated their deterioration. Network Rail have decided to replace all 10 of the station’s escalators in one single closure as they believe that this will be the safest, quickest, and most efficient way of carrying out the complex work.
How can Londoners get around during the closure?
Thameslink trains will still run as normal throughout this period, they just won’t call at City Thameslink. The station sees around 7.6 million passengers pass through its turnstiles each year. Passengers are being advised to use Blackfriars station whilst City Thameslink is closed as it’s a short walk away and boasts ‘plenty of space’ to cope with the additional passengers
Lucy McAuliffe, Sussex Route Director for Network Rail, said: “We know closing City Thameslink is a significant change and we’re sorry for the disruption it will cause. This is not a decision we have taken lightly. We have looked long and hard at every possibly option and, although none of them are without impact, a single closure is the least disruptive and most efficient way to carry out this vital work.
“City Thameslink’s escalators are at the end of their operational life. By replacing them now we’re tackling the root causes of access disruption for passengers in one go. This means that when City Thameslink reopens in December 2027, customers will benefit from completely renewed escalators, designed to provide safer, more dependable and accessible journeys through this important station on our network”.
