The car park at Harlington station in Bedfordshire, which is already partially closed off as a worksite, will close fully between Tuesday 23 and Saturday 27 December so that a crane can lower a new footbridge into place.

Installing the new footbridge forms part of a project to improve the station, which began in May this year.

The new footbridge will replace the current, ageing footbridge, and is designed to last for 120 years.

A 500ft crane will be set up on Tuesday, 23 December, and will carry out its main installation work on Christmas Eve (Wednesday, 24 December) and Boxing Day (Friday, 26 December).

The new footbridge will be cheaper and more efficient to maintain, and will bring better reliability and safety for passengers.

The footbridge installation at Harlington station is one element of the work that Network Rail will be carrying out over the festive period on its East Midlands route. Although Network Rail will do a lot of the work when trains are not running, it is advising passengers to check all parts of their journey before they travel. There will be no changes to services between London St Pancras and Bedford over the festive period.

Other projects that will be progressed over Christmas include strengthening the platforms at Chesterfield station, demolishing a bridge at Sutton Bonington, and development work at the Radlett Strategic Rail Freight Interchange.

Most of the platform work at Chesterfield station will be carried out on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. 40-metre sections of platforms 1 and 2 will be rebuilt with improved structural integrity.

Network Rail will demolish Kirk Hill bridge in Sutton Bonington, Nottinghamshire, on Christmas Day. It will build a replacement bridge in February and March, which will enable a speed limit in the area to be removed. It will also provide more space for larger gauge freight trains and for electric or bi-mode trains should the Midland Main Line electrification project be reinstated.

Network Rail’s engineers will also make progress at the Radlett Strategic Rail Freight Interchange near St Albans in Hertfordshire. They will install under-track crossings, which will enable utilities equipment to pass safely beneath the railway. They will also work on embankments and on installing a signal gantry and overhead line equipment.

Engineers will also be at work in north London, installing ten overhead line headspans at Cricklewood and laying foundations for overhead line equipment at Kentish Town.

“Harlington station car park is already partially closed off as a worksite but it will be shut completely from 23 to 27 December for the new footbridge to be lowered in by crane.

“Passengers are advised to plan how they will travel to Harlington, whether that’s walking or cycling, getting dropped off or parking at Luton or Leagrave – car park season ticket holders will be able to leave their cars at these neighbouring stations at no extra charge.”

Jenny Saunders, customer services director at Thameslink