TfL announces planned closures on the Piccadilly line for essential upgrades

Credit: Transport for London

Transport for London (TfL) has announced a series of temporary closures on the Piccadilly line this year (2024) to facilitate crucial track and platform upgrades. These works are essential for the arrival of the first new Piccadilly line trains, which are set to begin testing later this year, with a full fleet of 94 new trains being introduced from 2025.

The £2.9 billion investment aims to modernise the line, enhancing its reliability, safety, inclusivity and sustainability. Given the depth of the Piccadilly line and the age of its track and signalling infrastructure, these upgrades necessitate a series of closures.

The most significant planned closure will take place from 17 August to 1 September 2024. During this period, the line will be partially closed between Wood Green and Cockfosters, and between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge. Additionally, there will be a reduced service on other parts of the Piccadilly line due to the unavailability of trains.

TfL will provide rail replacement buses for stations between Wood Green and Cockfosters. However, customers travelling to central London might find it quicker to use local bus services to connect to alternative Tube and rail stations. Those heading to Uxbridge are advised to change at Rayners Lane for the Metropolitan line.

Railway upgrades to impact Bakerloo line and London Overground in August 2024

TfL encourages Piccadilly line customers to plan ahead using their real-time travel information tools, including the TfL Journey Planner and TfL Go, and to allow extra time for their journeys. Detailed travel advice and a list of upcoming weekend closures are available on TfL’s dedicated webpage here.

Stuart Harvey, Chief Capital Officer at TfL, said: “I’d like to thank our customers for their patience while we carry out these essential upgrades to the Piccadilly line. The closures will help us prepare for the arrival of the fleet of 94 brand-new trains which will transform journeys on the line in the coming decades. Introducing a new fleet of trains is a huge engineering and logistical feat. Although much of the hard work goes on behind the scenes, there are times when we need to close sections of the railway to ensure that all existing infrastructure is compatible with the new trains. Closures of this type are scheduled to take place, where possible, in school holidays when demand on our network is significantly reduced.”

The new trains will offer several enhancements: walk-through carriages, wider, all-double doorways for easier boarding and alighting, enhanced digital display screens for customer information, on-train CCTV cameras for increased security and air-conditioning, a first for Deep Tube trains. These upgrades are expected to increase capacity by 10% and improve both energy efficiency and accessibility.

Ahead of the closures, TfL will reach out to regular Piccadilly line users with travel advice and information. Posters and public address announcements will also be provided at all relevant stations.