Buses will replace trains on the Hertford Loop and Northern City lines over two successive weekends

The Hertford Loop Line through Enfield and Haringey will be closed for three days over two weekends in July and August – shortly following a series of strikes hitting both rail and tube services.

Line closures between Moorgate and Finsbury Park and from Alexandra Palace to Stevenage are scheduled for Sunday 30^th July, Saturday 5^th and Sunday 6^th August, with replacement bus services running instead on these days.

Great Northern trains will still run from Finsbury Park to Welwyn Garden City, meaning passengers will be able to travel between Finsbury Park and Harringay, Hornsey and Alexandra Palace stations.

The engineering work scheduled by Network Rail comes shortly following strikes on Thursday 20^th, Saturday 22^nd and Saturday 29^th July affecting Great Northern, Thameslink and Greater Anglia services, and a week-long strike by London Underground workers between Sunday 23^rd and Saturday 29^th July.

Network Rail says the engineering work being undertaken on the Hertford Loop Line north of Alexandra Palace and the Northern City Line south of Finsbury Park will help to deliver “smoother, more reliable journeys”.
On the Northern City Line, new track and signals are being installed, while the Hertford Loop Line will benefit from new overhead line equipment. There will also be significant upgrades to the tunnels between Moorgate and Finsbury Park, which will help to minimise noise and vibrations when trains pass through. The work on the Hertford Loop Line will make the route more resilient during extreme weather conditions and prepare the line for digital signalling.

Jason Parrish, head of planning for Network Rail’s east coast route, said: “These upgrades to both the Hertford Loop line and Northern City Line will ultimately improve reliability for passengers and lead to smoother journeys.

“I’m pleased that we are also making significant improvements to tunnels between Moorgate and Finsbury Park, as this will help to reduce noise and vibrations from trains which will greatly benefit people living near the railway.

“There will be changes to services, so I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we complete this important work. Our best advice for anyone who is planning to travel is to check National Rail Enquiries or their train operator’s website before setting off.”

Jenny Saunders, customer service director for Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Great Northern trains, said: “Network Rail are modernising the infrastructure to make journeys more reliable and comfortable for our passengers on the Hertford Loop and in and out of Moorgate.

“Buses will be running instead of trains between Alexandra Palace and Stevenage via Hertford North on all three dates, and there’ll be no Great Northern service between Finsbury Park and Moorgate on 5th and 6th of August, so please allow plenty of extra time, and check your route and journey times before you travel.”

For more information about rail strikes starting on Thursday 20^th July:
Visit nationalrail.co.uk/service-disruptions/industrial-action

For more information about tube strikes starting Sunday 23^rd July:
Visit tfl.gov.uk/campaign/strikes

For more information about engineering works affecting Great Northern services starting on Sunday 30^th July:
Visit greatnorthernrail.com/travel-information

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