How to get around London on New Year’s Eve: Map reveals road closures in place on December 31 as TfL announces
The Elizabeth Line will run an overnight service for the very first time on New Year's Eve - amid chaos and disruption on the stricken £18.9billion line.
Transport for London[2] (TfL) announced a 'special all-night' service will run as thousands of revellers are set to pour into the capital to watch the sold out London Eye fireworks display bring in 2024.
The tube line will run between Hayes and Harlington and Shenfield, Reading and Abbey Wood, and Maidenhead and Abbey Wood, although no trains will run to or from London[3] Heathrow.
It comes in a month where the line has been dogged with disruption and chaos[4] after faulty overhead cables led to all trains coming to a standstill on the evening of December 7.
Seven trains were stranded, leaving passengers stuck in cold and dark carriages for up to four hours. Elizabeth line trains have no toilets, adding to the discomfort on board.
A map published by Transport for London showing when and where roads will be closed in central London ahead of the New Year's Eve fireworks display
Passengers at London Waterloo station today as rail operators warn of major disruption
Pictures and videos were shared on social media, with singer James Blunt[5] and TV Presenter Rachel Riley[6] both affected.
Network Rail's managing director for the Wales and Western region, Michelle Handforth, quit her £330,000 a year role[7] days later, although a rail insider told the BBC [8]she had made the decision before the night of chaos.
Ahead of the New Year's Eve celebrations on Sunday, TfL said all tube lines will run an overnight service apart from Waterloo and City and the District line to Kensington Olympia - although some stations may be exit-only at busy times.
However, those coming to watch the fireworks from Bedford or Brighton have been warned they won't be able to get a train home.
Thameslink will not run overnight on New Year's Eve - meaning passengers can no longer travel back from London during the night.
There will also be road closures in place in central London from the early afternoon ahead of the fireworks on the Thames with buses also diverted.
Westminster bridge will close to traffic from 2pm, with Waterloo and Blackfriars shutting at 7pm, and Lambeth bridge being closed off at 8pm.
The New Year's Eve travel disruption comes following a day of chaos on the rail lines today in which furious Brits slammed operators as thousands were forced to cram into packed carriages.
Storms and staff shortages are already threatening to cripple the rail network ahead of Sunday's celebrations.
One major operator warned its customers not to travel - while others closed routes, reduced service and told punters to stay alert for last minute cancellations.
The decision caused fury among passengers, with former MP Ivor Caplin tweeting: 'A disastrous end to 2023. Let's remember this rail company cancelled all its trains on Pride weekend in Brighton and now ruins those who want to enjoy the last weekend of the year. Time for the CEO and management to resign - they are a disgrace.'
Vincent Masterson, a bank worker from St Albans, wrote: 'Happy New Year from Thameslink. Incredibly poor service on one of the busiest nights of the year, costing people time with family and friends, and potentially hundreds of pounds on taxis.'
Chaotic scenes at London Euston once again yesterday as passengers wait for travel updates
Passengers at London Victoria station today as multiple rail operators warn of major disruption
Some platforms at London Victoria railway station are closed off today due to upgrade works
A passenger tweets a photograph of a board at London Euston showing a cancelled train today
And actor Adam Lines said: 'The train service in the UK is absolutely diabolical. So, so unreliable. Dread to think how much money I've lost through missed shifts this year.'
Operators told revellers to travel now instead of this weekend amid concerns over disruption and last-minute cancellations due to a lack of crew and severe weather.
UK rail disruption on December 29, 2023
Avanti West Coast: Cancellations today after major disruption yesterday following four separate incidents
LNER: Some cancellations across the network due to staff shortages. Other services face speed restrictions due to signalling fault north of Newcastle
Merseyrail: Signalling fault between Hamilton Square and James Street
CrossCountry: Reduced service due to a 'shortage of train crew'
East Midlands Railway: Broken down train causing delays between Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber
ScotRail: All lines now reopen apart from Dumfries to Kilmarnock, but other lines still face speed restrictions and cancellations with buses in place
Transport for Wales: Train services remain impacted until Monday due to severe weather including the Llandudno to Blaenau Ffestiniog and Swansea to Shrewsbury lines
Southeastern: Delays between Ebbsfleet International and London St Pancras due to a signalling issue
London Underground: Delays on Central and Circle lines due to train shortages and cancellations
AdvertisementNorthern, which runs 2,500 services through 500 stations daily, said customers with tickets for New Year's Eve could use them today or tomorrow to avoid disruption.
The UK's second largest train operator issued a 'do not travel' warning for six routes with no service on New Year's Eve - including Morecambe or Heysham to Lancaster; Preston to Colne; Manchester Victoria to Chester; Manchester Piccadilly to Chester via Altrincham; Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge; and Clitheroe to Bolton.
Other routes across North West England will also have a reduced service on New Year's Eve 'due to train crew unavailability' and are expected to finish early at 4pm.
Some staff at Northern, which is under Government control, only work Sundays as voluntary paid overtime, creating a risk of not having enough available employees.
Fellow operator CrossCountry, which calls at 120 stations over its 1,500-mile network and has faced recent staff shortages, said New Year's Eve trains would be 'extremely busy', also warning of 'last-minute cancellations' and an earlier finish than usual.
Thameslink warned of 'major disruption' from the afternoon of New Year's Eve due to 'availability of train crew', with a 'significantly reduced' timetable and cancellations expected to most affect the route between Bedford and London. The operator warned passengers 'should expect to wait for several hours between departures'.
There will also be 'far fewer trains between London and Brighton and trains that do run will be exceptionally busy and you may not be able to board the first train to your destination, further extending your wait'. Replacement buses will not be provided.
Thameslink will not run overnight on New Year's Eve - meaning passengers can no longer travel back from London during the night towards Bedford or Brighton.
It said anyone with a ticket dated New Year's Eve can use it on any Southern, Thameslink or Great Northern service at no extra cost either tomorrow or on New Year's Day.
Chiltern Railways told of a 'high risk of short notice cancellations and disruption' on all routes this weekend 'due to a shortage of train crew'. Engineering works at Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire on New Year's Eve will compound the misery.
London Northwestern Railway warned passengers it is 'anticipating crowding and disruption to services on New Year's Eve'.
Passengers at London Victoria station today as multiple rail operators warn of major disruption
James Smith tweeted a photo from an Avanti West Coast train today, telling of 'cancelled and delayed trains all day', adding: 'Now a three-hour stand up to London from Birmingham'
One passenger on board a Chiltern Railway train from London Marylebone to Oxford this morning said the service is 'absolutely packed to capacity'
It said this is due to the 'combined impact of recent storms damage across the network, higher than usual rates of sickness absence within our teams as well as reduced capacity within our Sunday timetable'.
The operator has cancelled all services between Stafford and Crewe, and warned that trains on other routes such as between London Euston and Northampton are 'subject to alteration and possible cancellation'.
ScotRail warned services will 'begin to wind down' from 7pm on New Year's Eve.
Meanwhile engineering works continued to affect Greater Anglia trains through Chelmsford and London Victoria station has no Southeastern services until New Year's Day.
References
- ^ Matt Strudwick (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Transport for London (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ London (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ dogged with disruption and chaos (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ James Blunt (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Rachel Riley (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ quit her £330,000 a year role (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)