Passengers are being advised of significant travel disruptions on the East Coast Main Line south of Peterborough on Sunday, 15 March, due to further testing of a new digital signalling system.
No Thameslink or Great Northern trains will operate along large stretches of the route, with services affected all day between Potters Bar and Letchworth Garden City, Potters Bar and Peterborough until noon, Potters Bar and St Neots from noon, and Hertford North and Stevenage.
To support travellers, a limited rail replacement bus service will operate across key sections, including Hitchin to Letchworth Garden City, Bedford to Peterborough via St Neots, and Stevenage to Luton Airport Parkway via Hitchin.
An amended train service will run on unaffected sections, such as London King’s Cross and Moorgate to Potters Bar, and Letchworth Garden City to Cambridge, Ely, or King’s Lynn.
Long-distance trains to and from northern England will start and terminate at Peterborough, with coaches providing connections to Bedford and Thameslink services.
The disruption forms part of the £1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP), which will introduce digitally signalled passenger trains between Welwyn and Hitchin later this year.
The testing is essential to ensure the safe and reliable interaction of lineside equipment, onboard systems, and signalling control at York Rail Operating Centre. The scheme is expected to deliver greener, safer, and more punctual journeys for passengers in the near future.
“We’re looking forward to the greater reliability that the digital signalling system will bring to our passenger services. In the meantime, please do check online at national rail enquiries before you travel on Sunday 15 March and allow extra time as your journey may involve taking a bus.”
Jenny Saunders, Thameslink and Great Northern Customer Service Director.
“We thank passengers for their patience while further rigorous testing work is done ahead of the introduction of digital in-cab signalling on services from later this year. We expect Sunday 15 March to be the last significant ECDP related closure until late August, and it provides another step towards a more reliable, greener and even safer railway”.
Ricky Barsby, Network Rail’s Head of Access Integration.
Responses
Could someone please explain the actual benefits of this digital signalling system, which seems to be causing significant disruption and at a huge cost. But for what actual gain? I’m interested to hear.