London travel news LIVE: 'Significant leaf fall' closes part of Piccadilly Line

The Piccadilly Line has been part closed due to ‘significant’ leaf fall  (Alamy/PA) (Oscar Rihll/PA Wire)
The Piccadilly Line has been part closed due to ‘significant’ leaf fall (Alamy/PA) (Oscar Rihll/PA Wire)

The Piccadilly Line has been part suspended on Thursday due to “poor rail conditions caused by significant leaf fall.”

The line is closed between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge due to the issue.

It comes as some services still face disruption due to the recent stormy weather.

London Paddington trains to South Wales via Bristol Parkway are being affected due to flooding on the line.

London train services continued to face disruption on Wednesday evening.

National Rail issued a “do not travel” warning following heavy flooding between Blackfriars and London St Pancras International.

For the latest travel updates scroll down.

Key Points

  • Do not travel warning issued after flooding between Blackfriars and London St Pancras International

  • Key Thameslink commuter trains cancelled amid flooding

  • Major roads hit by flooding overnight

  • Elizabeth line running again after commuters hit by second day of disruption

  • King's Cross station and Paddington forced to shut due to overcrowding and a fire alert

Live coverage ends

22:35 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Our live coverage has ended for today.

Thanks for following along. We’ll be back tomorrow morning with more travel updates.

District Line delays end

18:06 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

The delays affecting the District Line have now ended, says TfL.

Severe delays hit the District Line again

17:19 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

There are severe delays on the District Line between Turnham Green and Richmond due to a signalling problem at Gunnersbury.

There are also still severe delays on the Piccadilly Line between Acton Town and Rayners Lane, while the line remains suspended between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge due to poor rail conditions caused by “significant leaf fall”.

District Line no longer facing delays

16:32 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

There are no longer delays on the District Line, says TfL.

The Piccadilly Line remains suspended between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge “due to poor rail conditions caused by significant leaf fall”.

There are also severe delays on the Piccadilly Line between Acton Town and Rayners Lane.

Disruption between East Croydon and Purley expected until 6pm

16:14 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Gatwick Express, Southern, and Thameslink trains are currently disrupted following an “operation incident” that has closed some lines between East Croydon and Purley.

Trains may be delayed by up to 15 minutes or revised, says National Rail, which says the issues are expected to last until 6pm.

Services affected:

  • Gatwick Express between London Victoria and Brighton

  • Southern between London Bridge and Caterham, between London Victoria and Reigate / Bognor Regis / Eastbourne / Ore / Portsmouth & Southsea / Portsmouth Harbour

  • Thameslink between Bedford and Gatwick Airport / Three Bridges / Brighton, between Cambridge and Brighton, and also between Peterborough and Horsham

Severe delays on two Tube lines as Piccadilly Line remains part-suspended

15:43 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

There are currently severe delays on both the District and Piccadilly lines. The latter remains part-suspended.

District Line: Severe delays between Turnham Green and Richmond due to a signalling problem at Gunnersbury.

Piccadilly Line: No service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge due to “poor rail conditions caused by significant leaf fall”. Severe delays between Acton Town and Rayners Lane.

Trains still unable to run on Piccadilly Line

13:50 , Jacob Phillips

There is still no service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge on Piccadilly Line due to poor rail conditions caused by significant leaf fall.

There are also minor delays between Arnos Grove to Cockfosters and Acton Town to Rayners Lane / Heathrow Airport due to an earlier signal failure at King's Cross St. Pancras.

There is a good service on the rest of the line.

Part of South Circular blocked after 'car fire'

12:43 , Josh Salisbury

An earlier car fire on has blocked a stretch of the South Circular from M4 J1 Chiswick Roundabout to Kew Bridge.

According to traffic monitoring sites, there is congestion to the North Circular from Gunnersbury Lane in Acton, and from Brentford High Street.

The road has been blocked outside Kew Bridge Station since 7.45am, according to traffic monitoring site Inrix.

Major south London road closed due to 'unstable' building

11:59 , Josh Salisbury

A major road in Wallington will remain closed because of an unsafe building, council officials said.

The building on Manor Road was deemed dangerous after damage sustained during Storm Bert’s high winds at the weekend.

A Sutton Council spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, the road closure will need to remain in place until works to make the site safe are completed by the owner.

“Traffic diversions are in place and we are providing additional signage for drivers.

“The Council is doing all it can to make sure the building's owner secures the site as soon as possible and the closure can be lifted. In the meantime, please avoid the area if you can.”

South Western Railway disruption in south London to continue until 8pm

10:57 , Josh Salisbury

Disruption on South Western Railway services in south London is expected to continue through rush hour until 8pm.

The disruption is affecting services running between Waterloo and Chessington South.

South Western Railway said this was because of a points failure between Malden Manor and Chessington South which means that all lines are blocked.

Trains will instead start and terminate at Hampton Court.

Metropolitan Line severely delayed

09:42 , Josh Salisbury

The Metropolitan Line has severe delays between Harrow-on-the-Hill to Watford due to train cancellations.

The Piccadilly Line continues to have no service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge due to “significant leaf fall” and severe delays on the rest of the line due to a signal failure at King's Cross St. Pancras.

The Jubilee and District have minor delays, with a good service on all other lines.

Thameslink disruption 'due to shortage of staff'

09:23 , Josh Salisbury

Disruption to Thameslink trains is now expected to last until 10am.

Thameslink services running through London Blackfriars are disrupted due to a shortage of staff at Cricklewood depot, the train company has said.

This means some trains have not been able to leave the depot to begin their journeys.

Fewer trains than usual will run between St Albans and Sutton, and also between Luton and Orpington.

Piccadilly Line disruption continues

08:34 , Josh Salisbury

Disruption on the Piccadilly Line is continuing during rush hour, with no service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge.

TfL says this is due to “significant leaf fall” on the line.

The rest of the line is severely delayed due to a signal failure at King's Cross St. Pancras.

The Jubilee and Metropolitan Lines have minor delays, as does the Croydon tram.

 (TfL)
(TfL)

Residual Storm Bert disruption at Paddington

07:49 , Josh Salisbury

Some long distance services operated by GWR at Paddington remain disrupted due to Storm Bert-related flooding.

This is particularly acute on the London Paddington - South Wales via Bristol Parkway route.

The line between Swindon and Bristol Parkway has been affected by flooding in the Chipping Sodbury area.

As flood water recedes, Network Rail need to remove some debris which is currently blocking the line.

Until the normal route is open, an hourly train service will run between London Paddington and South Wales, in both directions using an alternative route, which will extend journey times by up to 45 minutes.

Thameslink services may be cancelled between Blackfriars and Sutton

07:38 , Josh Salisbury

Thameslink services between London Blackfriars and Sutton may be delayed or cancelled due to a shortage of staff.

A shortage of staff at a depot means some trains have not been able to leave the depot for the start of service, said Thameslink.

As fewer trains are able to run, services may be cancelled, delayed or revised.

The disruption is expected to last until 8.30am.

Fault hits South Western Railway trains in south London

07:25 , Josh Salisbury

Passengers on South Western Railway in south London are facing travel difficulties this morning due to a points failure.

The failure between Malden Manor and Chessington South means all lines are blocked, and trains cannot run between those stations.

London Waterloo - Chessington South services will be diverted to and from Hampton Court, additionally calling at New Malden and Surbiton in both directions.

South Western Railway said the disruption would last until 11.30am.

Continued disruption on West Coast Mainline due to flooding

07:14 , Josh Salisbury

Some major West Coast Mainline services from Euston will continue to be disrupted on Thursday due to the after-effects of Storm Bert.

London Northwestern Railway said due to earlier flooding at Northampton Station, some trains are unable to run because they cannot leave the depot.

It said it would run a reduced service for the day, which includes:

  • Trains between Birmingham New Street and London Euston via Northampton will run between Birmingham New Street and Milton Keynes Central only

  • Trains between Tring and London Euston are suspended

  • Approximately 1 in 3 trains between Crewe and London Euston will be cancelled

  • 2 trains per hour will run between Milton Keynes Central and London Euston

An earlier picture of the flooding at Northampton Station (Network Rail)
An earlier picture of the flooding at Northampton Station (Network Rail)

Southern services hit by disruption until 7.30am

07:03 , Josh Salisbury

Southern services between Wembley Central and Clapham Junction are being delayed because of an earlier fault on a train near Shepherds Bush.

Southern told passengers in a message: “Your journey will be delayed by at least 15 minutes. Please allow extra time to reach your destination.

“Late-running trains may be revised. This means they may not stop at all of the usual stations, or they may terminate part of the way along their usual routes.”

'Significant leaf fall' closes part of Piccadilly Line

06:49 , Matt Watts

Transport for London says there is no service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge on the Piccadilly Line due to poor rail conditions caused by significant leaf fall.

It says there are good conditions on the rest of the line.

Live coverage resumes

06:40 , Matt Watts

Good morning. We have restarted our live coverage of travel issues on London’s transport network

Live coverage ends

Wednesday 27 November 2024 23:14

We’re now ending our live coverage, but we’ll be back tomorrow morning with more updates.

Until then, get the latest information on TfL services here and on national rail disruption here.

Severe delays on District, Hammersmith & City, and Piccadilly lines

Wednesday 27 November 2024 22:57 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

There are severe delays on several Tube lines this evening. This is the situation as it stands, according to TfL...

District Line: Severe delays Earl's Court to Ealing Broadway/Richmond and Tower Hill to Upminster.

Hammersmith and City Line: Severe delays due to earlier emergency engineering work at Upminster.

Piccadilly Line: Severe delays between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge due to poor rail conditions caused by significant leaf fall. Minor delays on the rest of the line due to a shortage of trains and an earlier signal fault at Turnpike Lane.

Disruption expected until end of day, says Thameslink

Wednesday 27 November 2024 20:56 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Thameslink has said it believes trains will be disrupted until the end of service this evening.

TfL lines remain part-suspended and affected by severe delays

Wednesday 27 November 2024 18:43 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Here’s a summary of the delays and suspensions currently affecting TfL train services...

District Line: No service between Dagenham East and Upminster. Severe delays between Earl's Court and Ealing Broadway / Richmond / Wimbledon due to emergency engineering work at Upminster.

Piccadilly Line: No service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge due to “poor rail conditions caused by significant leaf fall”. Severe delays on the rest of the line due to a shortage of trains and a signal fault at Turnpike Lane.

Hammersmith and City Line: Severe delays due to earlier emergency engineering work at Upminster.

London Overground (Mildmay Line): Severe delays between Stratford and Richmond/ Clapham Junction due to an earlier customer incident at Kentish Town West.

Rail replacement buses delayed due to flooded road

Wednesday 27 November 2024 18:40

There are currently no trains running between Redhill and Tonbridge, due to flooding in the wake of Storm Conall which brought heavy rain earlier today.

Rail replacement buses have been confirmed and advertised, but National Rail says the road near Eden River is “completely flooded” meaning buses are currently delayed along their journey due to heavy traffic.

“The buses may not be arrive at the scheduled time but they are at present still running,” it said.

Thameslink urges passengers to 'allow plenty of extra time' for journeys tonight

Wednesday 27 November 2024 18:10 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Disruption continues to affect Thameslink trains this evening, along with Gatwick Express, Great Northern and Southern services.

Thameslink has urged passengers to check routes before travelling, and allow extra time to make journeys.

“Delays on the network have eased, however due to revised services running, you may need to change trains part way through your journey,” it said on X.

TfL services severely delayed and part-suspended this rush-hour

Wednesday 27 November 2024 17:16

As reported in previous posts, there are ongoing issues affecting Thameslink, Gatwick Express, Great Northern and Southern trains this evening.

There are also a number of issues affecting TfL services.

“Significant leaf fall” on the Piccadilly Line has suspended all services between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge.

A shortage of trains is also causing severe delays on the Piccadilly Line between Acton Town and Heathrow Terminals.

There are also severe delays on the District Line between Earl's Court and Ealing Broadway / Richmond due to earlier emergency engineering work at Upminster.

There are also severe delays on the Overground line that has recently been renamed Mildmay line, between Stratford and Richmond/ Clapham Junction, due to a “customer incident” at Kentish Town West.

What is the situation with Thameslink trains?

Wednesday 27 November 2024 16:49 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

National Rail says there will be “heavy disruption” to Thameslink trains in and out of central London this evening, and it has warned journeys could take up to 30 minutes longer than usual.

There is a reduced service between Bedford and London, and between London and Brighton, in both directions.

The service that runs between Cambridge and Brighton has been suspended until the end of the day.

Peak services between Bedford and East Grinstead are suspended.

Services between Sutton and London are also reduced throughout the peak rush-hour, and are looking to be reinstated fully by 7pm.

Peak services between Sevenoaks and Welwyn Garden City will be running as far as London Blackfriars.

“If you require further travel towards Welwyn Garden City, please use alternate London transport such as London Underground or London Buses towards London Kings Cross for Great Northern services towards Welwyn Garden City,” says National Rail.

Dozens of Thameslink trains cancelled amid flooding

Wednesday 27 November 2024 16:47 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Flooding has cancelled dozens of commuter services from London this evening.

The following Thameslink services from London Blackfriars have been cancelled:

  • 4.49pm to Kentish Town

  • 4.51pm to Sutton (London) via Wimbledon

  • 4.52pm to Cambridge

  • 4.46pm to Orpington via Catford

  • 4.59pm to Welwyn Garden City

  • 5.04pm to East Grinstead

  • 5.09pm to Brighton

  • 5.19pm to Kentish Town

  • 5.22pm to Cambridge

  • 5.26pm to Orpington via Catford

  • 5.29pm to Welwyn Garden City

  • 5.34pm to East Grinstead

  • 5.39pm to Brighton

  • 5.52pm to Cambridge

  • 5.54pm to St Albans

  • 5.56pm to Orpington via Catford

  • 5.59pm to Welwyn Garden City

  • 6.09pm to Brighton

  • 6.09pm to St Albans

  • 6.19pm to Luton

  • 6.22pm to Cambridge

  • 6.24pm to St Albans

  • 6.26pm to Orpington via Catford

  • 6.29pm to Welwyn Garden City

Thameslink, Gatwick Express, Great Northern and Southern trains in chaos as rush-hour approaches

Wednesday 27 November 2024 16:36 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

As rush-hour approaches, multiple incidents across the Thameslink, Gatwick Express, Great Northern and Southern networks means many lines continue to be disrupted.

National Rail is warning that trains across the network may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised.

District Line part-suspended

Wednesday 27 November 2024 16:12 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

The District Line is now part-suspended, says TfL.

There is no service between Barking and Upminster due to emergency engineering work at Upminster.

Several Overground and Tube line delays continue

Wednesday 27 November 2024 15:12 , Josh Salisbury

Delays are continuing on the section of Overground which has now been rebranded as the Mildmay line.

TfL says it is suspended between Shepherd's Bush and Clapham junction and between South Acton and Richmond.

The Piccadilly Line has no service between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge due to poor rail conditions caused by significant leaf fall.

There are also minor delays on the Central and Jubilee.

Person hit by train on West Coast mainline

Wednesday 27 November 2024 14:53 , Josh Salisbury

A person was has been by a train between between Milton Keynes Central and Watford Junction.

As a result, all lines are currently closed as emergency services respond.

Trains running between Milton Keynes Central and London Euston may be cancelled, delayed by up to 90 minutes or revised, Network Rail has warned.

Major disruption is expected until 5.30pm.

Passengers vent woes at Elizabeth Line failure

Wednesday 27 November 2024 14:10 , Josh Salisbury

Commuters have vented their frustration at the Elizabeth Line outage.

One said: “What's the point of the Elizabeth line?

“It was years late and it has permanent problems. How can an underground line that's only a couple of years old have weekly signalling problems?

“Just total incompetence, or worse.”

Another added: “Did Russia hack the Elizabeth line or something. This is abhorrent.”

Passengers crammed in to 'manically busy' Jubillee Line after Elizabeth line fault

Wednesday 27 November 2024 13:46 , Jacob Phillips

Sean Mulbihill was forced onto a “manically busy” train after Elizabeth line cancellations which made him late to work.

Mr Mulbihill was made half an hour late to his morning meeting after cancellations meant he had to take a packed Jubilee Line train followed by the Northern Line.

He told the Standard: “I had to get the Jubilee Line which was manically busy.

“There was very poor information from them for when the trains were actually coming in.”

Sean Mulbihill was 30 minutes late to his morning meeting after the Elizabeth line was down (Josh Butler/Evening Standard)
Sean Mulbihill was 30 minutes late to his morning meeting after the Elizabeth line was down (Josh Butler/Evening Standard)

Family hit by long waits due to Elizabeth line failures

Wednesday 27 November 2024 13:23 , Jacob Phillips

Duncan and April Charlick had to wait an hour travelling from Heathrow as Elizabeth line trains were cancelled.

The couple had been trying to get home to Shenfield from the busy airport after travelling from America.

Mr Charlick said: “We got down to the Elizabeth line, tapped through, and then they said it wasn’t working, so they shuffled us onto the Heathrow Express.

“It was crowded, a lot of people.”

The couple met their son, Phil, at Paddington going in the opposite direction to his parents trying to get to Heathrow.

He was faced with an extra fee for using the Heathrow Express when the Elizabeth line train he planned to take was cancelled.

Phil described how he had to wait 45 minutes to be told which train would be running.

Luckily he was still on track to catch his 2pm flight, having planned his journey with time to spare, but was disappointed with how the delays had been handled.

He told the Standard: “It was really poor, the communication. I don’t understand why we can’t use the Heathrow Express without paying the extra when there are no trains running.”

Duncan, April and Phil Charlick were caught up in the Elizabeth line disruption (Josh Butler/Evening Standard)
Duncan, April and Phil Charlick were caught up in the Elizabeth line disruption (Josh Butler/Evening Standard)

Commuter half an hour late to work after becoming 'stuck' at Tottenham Court Road

Wednesday 27 November 2024 13:00 , Jacob Phillips

A commuter trying to reach Maidenhead said he was half an hour late for work after getting “stuck” at Tottenham Court Road when the Elizabeth line was shut.

Speaking at Paddington station, Sean told the Standard: “I work from home so don’t travel very often and when I do, I don’t have too many problems.

“It’s just today that has been a bit of a nightmare.”

He added: “I understand that there’s a lot of people trying to get to a lot of places, but I don’t feel like I’m missing the key information that I need.”

Sean was unable to travel from Tottenham Court Road direct to Maidenhead (Josh Butler/Evening Standard)
Sean was unable to travel from Tottenham Court Road direct to Maidenhead (Josh Butler/Evening Standard)

Flooding causes delays on the London Overground

Wednesday 27 November 2024 12:42 , Jacob Phillips

Heavy rain has caused flooding on the railway between Kensal Rise and Willesden Junction on the Mildmay line on the London Overground.

Trains running between Gospel Oak and Willesden Junction may be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or revised.

Disruption is expected to continue until 1.30pm.

'Do not travel' warning remains following flooding

Wednesday 27 November 2024 12:33 , Jacob Phillips

National Rail is still telling customers “do not travel” as there is still heavy disruption for trains in and out of London.

There is no Thameslink service between London Blackfriars and Sutton and the Gatwick Express is suspended.

Multiple incidents across the Thameslink, Gatwick Express, Great Northern and Southern networks mean many lines are disrupted.

Trains may be cancelled or delayed by an hour, with disruption expected to continue until rush hour at 5pm.

Earlier National Rail warned there was flooding between Blackfriars and St Pancras International while Thameslink warned there was flooding between St Pancras and London Bridge.

Elizabeth line boss apologises to commuters after second day of chaos

Wednesday 27 November 2024 11:50

The director of the Elizabeth Line has apologised as trains were unable to reach central London for the second day running.

Engineers have been trying to fix a signalling fault which has stopped trains from being able to enter the Elizabeth line’s main tunnels between Paddington and Abbey Wood.

ITV reports that a software crash was triggered when engineers carried out routine maintenance on passenger information screens. The system advises passengers when trains are due.

The issue on the £20 billion railway, which was opened in 2022, first caused issues on Tuesday morning and continued to cause problems on Wednesday morning.

Read more about the issues that the Elizabeth line has been facing here.

Commuters have faced two days of issues on the Elizabeth line (Ross Lydall)
Commuters have faced two days of issues on the Elizabeth line (Ross Lydall)

Elizabeth line services able to run again

Wednesday 27 November 2024 11:17 , Jacob Phillips

Elizabeth line trains are starting to run to central London again after a second morning of major disruption.

Lines have now reopened following a fault with the signalling system between Abbey Wood and London Paddington.

While the service recovers, Elizabeth line services may still be cancelled or revised.

Passengers crammed into Central Line trains as Elizabeth line remains shut

Wednesday 27 November 2024 10:52

James Gardner was forced to take a packed Central Line train as he tried to travel from Chelmsford to an aerospace construction job in Cardiff.

He discovered the Elizabeth line was cancelled when he reached Stratford and had to take a packed Central Line train instead.

He told the Standard: “Trains today have all been completely f***ed. Central Line I had to get was completely rammed and running slow.

“So, not the best experience in the world.”

He warned that if his train to Wales was cancelled he could lose a full day’s work as his work requires him to be on site.

Mr Gardner added: “I think they handle it as best they can. You can’t always control it, it is what it is.”

James Gardner was forced to cram into a packed Central Line train as the Elizabeth line was down (Josh Butler/Evening Standard)
James Gardner was forced to cram into a packed Central Line train as the Elizabeth line was down (Josh Butler/Evening Standard)

Passengers left waiting for over 45 minutes at Paddington

Wednesday 27 November 2024 10:10 , Jacob Phillips

Passengers have been left waiting for over 45 minutes at Paddington station as they try to travel to Wigan.

Dan and Nicholas, who did not give their surnames, were left in the dark about when their train would eventually leave as Storm Conall continued to cause transport disruption.

Dan told the Standard: “It would be good to have more information for those waiting on the platform.

“I know it must be tough for the guys on the floor trying to answer questions because they don’t actually have the information.

“For example, we don’t know why our train isn’t leaving yet, they haven’t said why.”

Dan and Nicholas were trying to travel from Paddington to Wigan (Josh Butler/Evening Standard)
Dan and Nicholas were trying to travel from Paddington to Wigan (Josh Butler/Evening Standard)

Trains unable to stop at Euston station to prevent overcrowding

Wednesday 27 November 2024 09:56 , Jacob Phillips

Trains have been unable to stop at some platforms at Euston underground station to prevent overcrowding.

TfL warned that trains could not stop northbound on the Northern Line on the City/Bank brank.

King's Cross station forced to shut due to overcrowding

Wednesday 27 November 2024 09:54 , Jacob Phillips

King’s Cross station has been forced to shut due to overcrowding.

Commuters have described “absolute mayhem” at the station, which has since reopened.

The station was closed for around 20 minutes before reopening.

Meanwhile, Paddington underground station was forced to close as TfL responded to a fire alert.

King’s Cross station was forced to close due to overcrowding (Georgie Massen)
King’s Cross station was forced to close due to overcrowding (Georgie Massen)

Flooding causes signalling issue on trains to Charing Cross

Wednesday 27 November 2024 09:47 , Jacob Phillips

Flooding from Storm Conall has caused a signalling fault at Lower Sydenham - causing disruption on journeys to Charing Cross.

Trains between Charing Cross and Hayes have been cancelled, delayed or revised due to the issue.

This issue is expected to continue to impact services until 10.15am.

Tube network plagued by issues

Wednesday 27 November 2024 09:38 , Jacob Phillips

The Tube network has been plagued by issues on Wednesday morning.

Fire alerts have caused issues on a number of lines and a shortage is also causing delays.

Tube network hit by range of delays (TfL)
Tube network hit by range of delays (TfL)

Elizabeth Line disruption caused by 'software crash' - reports

Wednesday 27 November 2024 08:50 , Jacob Phillips

The director of the Elizabeth Line has apologised as disruption on the £19 billion line enters its second day.

Engineers have been trying to fix computerised signals which control the trains, ITV reports.

No trains are running in the Elizabeth line’s main tunnels between Paddington and Abbey Wood, south London.

The software crash was reportedly triggered when engineers carried out routine maintenance on the passenger information screens.

The system advises passengers when trains are due.

Howard Smith, Director of the Elizabeth line told ITV: "We apologise to customers for the disruption on the Elizabeth line.

“We are continuing to work with Siemens, our signalling supplier, to resolve issues that resulted from overnight maintenance of the system.

"We advise customers to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journeys, and check before they travel using our website or the TfL Go app."

Gatwick Express suspended by flooding

Wednesday 27 November 2024 08:45 , Jacob Phillips

Storm Conall has been causing chaos on London’s rail network on Wednesday morning.

The third named storm of the season is expected to bring heavy rain throughout the day.

It has already caused issues in London and National Rail has told customers not to travel until later on Wednesday morning.

It said there is heavy disruption on trains in and out of central London and journeys could take up to an hour longer than usual.

Flooding has already been reported between Blackfriars and London St Pancras International and the Gatwick Express has been suspended.

Fire alerts cause severe delays across Tube network

Wednesday 27 November 2024 08:39 , Jacob Phillips

Several fire alerts are causing serious delays across the Tube network.

The Bakerloo Line is not running between Elephant and Castle and Queens Park while TfL responds to a fire alert at Paddington.

There is also no service clockwise on the Circle Line due to an earlier fire alert at High Street Kensington.

The same alert has caused severe delays between Wimbledon and Edgware Road on the District Line.

There are also severe delays between Kennington and Morden while TfL responds to a fire alert at Clapham.

Engineers on site trying to fix Elizabeth line fault

Wednesday 27 November 2024 08:31 , Jacob Phillips

Engineers are on site addressing a signalling fault which has stopped trains running through central London on the Elizabeth line.

Network Rail told the Standard: “We’re sorry for the disruption to Elizabeth Line services between Abbey Wood and London Paddington.

“This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

“Our team of engineers are on site addressing the fault and passengers are advised to visit National Rail Enquires for the latest travel updates and ticket acceptance on alternative routes.”

No service on Circle Line following fire alert

Wednesday 27 November 2024 08:18 , Jacob Phillips

There is currently no service on the Circle Line due to a fire alert at High Street Kensington.

There is also no service on the District Line between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road.

Major roads hit by flooding overnight

Wednesday 27 November 2024 08:12 , Jacob Phillips

Several major roads had been hit by flooding overnight, including the A406 North Circular in Walthamstow. The road was closed westbound at the A112 Crooked Billet due to flooding, causing queues from Woodford.

There was queuing traffic on the A40 in Uxbridge, west London due to surface water at the M40 J1 Denham Roundabout, with congestion to Hillingdon.

Cars could also be seen driving through flooding on the A41 near Brent Cross.

Flooding on the A41 near Brent Cross (Jeremy Selwyn)
Flooding on the A41 near Brent Cross (Jeremy Selwyn)

Railway between London Bridge and St Pancras also hit by 'heavy flooding'

Wednesday 27 November 2024 07:53 , Jacob Phillips

Thameslink has warned that “heavy rain flooding” is also causing transport chaos near London Bridge.

In an update to a customer on X the train service wrote: “Due to heavy rain flooding the railway between London Bridge and St Pancras International all lines are blocked. We advise you delay travelling until later this morning.”

In another response it warned of heavy disruption for trains in and out of central London.

Do not travel warning after heavy flooding between Blackfriars and London St Pancras International

Wednesday 27 November 2024 07:30 , Jacob Phillips

Commuters have been told “do not travel this morning” following heavy flooding between Blackfriars and London St Pancras International.

All lines are blocked between the stations and trains are being cancelled or delayed by 30 minutes.

National Rail has said disruption is expected until 10am.

It told customers: “Do not travel this morning. We advise you delay travelling until later this morning.

“There will be heavy disruption for trains in and out of central London, and your journey could take up to an hour longer than usual.”

Severe delays on several Tube lines

Wednesday 27 November 2024 07:12 , Jacob Phillips

Away from the Elizabeth line there are severe delays on several Tube lines.

The Circle and Hammersmith and City lines have been hit by long delays due to power supply problems while there are severe delays between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road as TfL respond to a fire alert.

There are minor delays on the Metropolitan Line between Moor Park and Amersham due to train cancellations.

Elizabeth Line unable to run 'until the end of the day'

Wednesday 27 November 2024 07:05 , Jacob Phillips

National Rail has provided an update on the Elizabeth Line. warning that trains will not be able to run “until the end of the day”.

In has told its customers: “A fault with the signalling system between Abbey Wood and London Paddington means that all lines are closed.

“As a result, Elizabeth line services are unable to run between these stations and will be cancelled or revised.

“This is expected until the end of service.”

Elizabeth line suspended through central London again

Wednesday 27 November 2024 06:48 , Matt Watts

There are major problems again on the Elizabeth line this morning with no service between Paddington and Abbey Wood due to a signalling systems fault.

It means there are no Elizabeth line trains through central London. A similar issue caused major disruption on Tuesday.

TfL said there are also severe delays between Paddington, Heathrow Airport and Reading.

Live coverage begins again

Wednesday 27 November 2024 06:42 , Matt Watts

Good morning. We are beginning our London travel coverage again with major problems on the network again.

Live coverage ends

Tuesday 26 November 2024 22:32 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Here ends our live coverage for this evening. Thanks for following along. We’ll be back with you tomorrow.

In the meantime, you can catch up on all the biggest headlines from across London here.

Elizabeth Line running again but with severe delays

Tuesday 26 November 2024 22:26 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

The Elizabeth Line is now back up and running again, according to TfL’s website, which will come as good news for those yet to make their way home or due to use the line for their morning commute.

TfL says there remain “severe delays” on the line however due to the earlier signalling systems fault that left the line part-suspended for most of the day.

Overground no longer suspended

Tuesday 26 November 2024 22:24 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

The earlier part-closure of the London Overground has now been lifted.

London Overground also part-suspended

Tuesday 26 November 2024 20:26

The Elizabeth Line has been part-suspended for most of the day, and is due to remain that way for the rest of Tuesday.

London Overground is now also part-suspended, with no services running between Willesden Junction and Clapham Junction due to a points failure at Shepherd's Bush.

TfL says Network Rail is working to fix the issue.

There are also severe delays on the Overground between Stratford and Richmond.

Passengers vent frustration amid Elizabeth Line suspension

Tuesday 26 November 2024 20:15

Crowd chaos at London Bridge as Southeastern trains disrupted by signalling fault

Tuesday 26 November 2024 18:56 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Commuters are reporting extremely large crowds at London Bridge station this evening, amid a signalling fault that is disrupting trains in and out of London.

One Londoner said passengers were unable to make their way up the stairs or escalator to reach the platform due to a “massive queue”.

Crowds at London Bridge (Supplied)
Crowds at London Bridge (Supplied)

The issue is thought to be connected to a signalling issue at Eden Park, which Southeastern says “is having an impact on trains inbound and outbound of London” on the Hayes line.

The crowding is thought to be compounded by more passengers using the station, amid the Elizabeth Line part-suspension.

“What’s going on at London Bridge? No announcements and everyone is held on the concourse,” wrote another on X.

Another complained platform changes were causing chaos, writing: “Between plat 6&7 it’s manic with people running from one side to the other”.

Another X user, named only as Nick, reported “dangerous overcrowding on platforms 6-7 at London Bridge due to delays”.

Elizabeth Line expected to be part-suspended all day

Tuesday 26 November 2024 18:23 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

National Rail has announced that the Elizabeth Line’s part-suspension is expected to last until the end of the day.

There has been no service between Paddington and Abbey Wood for most of the day, due to a signalling systems fault.

There are severe delays on the rest of the Elizabeth Line.

Elizabeth Line remains part-suspended

Tuesday 26 November 2024 15:52 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

For those just joining us, a reminder there remains no service on the Elizabeth Line between Paddington and Abbey Wood due to a signalling systems fault.

There are also severe delays between Paddington and Heathrow Terminals/Reading, and minor delays on the rest of the line.

Commuters met by locked gates on the Elizabeth line

Tuesday 26 November 2024 15:09 , Jacob Phillips

A commuter on the Elizabeth line was met by locked gates at Woolwich station on Tuesday morning, before returning five hours late to find the same situation.

Pritam Dias told the Standard he was unable to travel to work after a large section of the Elizabeth line was suspended throughout Tuesday.

There is still no service between Paddington and Abbey Wood while TfL deal with a signalling systems fault.

Pritam Das was met with locked gates at the Elizabeth line on Tuesday morning (Pritam Das)
Pritam Das was met with locked gates at the Elizabeth line on Tuesday morning (Pritam Das)

Police appeal after vehicle break-ins which shut M25

Tuesday 26 November 2024 14:49 , Jacob Phillips

Police are appealing for witnesses and information following vehicle break-ins at South Mimms services which shut the M25.

Police were called at 10.48am on Tuesday after reports of two people breaking into at least two vehicles parked at the service station.

Hertfordshire Constabulary said no weapons were seen and no injuries were sustained.

Electrical items, including a laptop, iPad and headphones were reported to have been stolen from one of the vehicles and have since been recovered.

Officers attended alongside colleagues from the National Police Air Service and, due to outstanding suspects, road closures were put in place on the M25 at junctions 23-24. These road closures have since been lifted.

One man, aged 39, was arrested on suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle and going equipped for theft. He remains in custody for questioning.

PC Daniel Hill, from the Potters Bar and Shenley Neighbourhood Policing team, said: “Enquiries continue to trace a further potential suspect who is believed to have left the scene on foot, and I am appealing for anyone with information to please contact police.

“I am also keen to speak to anyone who may have had their car damaged or have items missing and would urge them to get in touch.

“I’d also like to thank members of the public for their patience and co-operation while the M25 was temporarily closed.

“Please email me with any information via Daniel.Hill@herts.police.uk, no matter how small or insignificant you think the details you have may be.”

Police shut M25 to hunt 'car criminals'

Tuesday 26 November 2024 14:07 , Jacob Phillips

Police are hunting a gang of suspected car criminals after break-ins at South Mimms services forced a section of the M25 to close.

Officers with Hertfordshire Police were called to the services just before 11am on Tuesday after reports of a gang breaking into people’s cars at the services.

Along with officers from the National Police Air Service, they closed the M25 between Junctions 23 and 24 in a bid to catch the suspects.

A spokesperson confirmed a man had been arrested and that police were still searching for other potential suspects.

You can read more about the police operation here.

Elizabeth Line travel chaos continues

Tuesday 26 November 2024 13:33 , Josh Salisbury

The Elizabeth Line continues to have no service between Paddington and Abbey Wood due to signaling system fault.

There are also severe delays between Paddington and Heathrow Terminals / Reading.

Manhunt after 'car break-ins' force M25 closure

Tuesday 26 November 2024 12:43 , Josh Salisbury

The M25 road closures have now been lifted, with police revealing they were put in place to catch suspects behind car break-ins at South Mimms services on Tuesday morning.

A man has been arrested, and police are still hunting the other suspects, a Hertfordshire Police spokesperson said.

“Officers are in attendance alongside colleagues from the National Police Air Service and, due to outstanding suspect(s), road closures were put in place on the M25 at junctions 23-24,” the spokesperson said.

“These have now been lifted.

“One man has been arrested in connection with the incident and is on the way to custody for questioning, and enquiries continue to trace potential further suspects.”

Police give update on M25 closure

Tuesday 26 November 2024 12:35 , Josh Salisbury

The section of the M25 between J23 and J24 will likely reopen shortly, a Hertfordshire Police spokesperson said, but declined to give further details on the police incident.

A spokesperson said: “We were called just before 10.50am, but looks like it’s reopening shortly.

“Part of the M25 is currently shut due to an ongoing incident.

“The road is closed at Junction 23-24 in both directions near South Mimms services.

“Motorists are asked to please avoid the area and to seek an alternative route if possible.”

Elizabeth line suspension 'until 4pm'

Tuesday 26 November 2024 12:10 , Michael Howie

National Rail has given an update on the Elizabeth line disruption.

It says the disruption is now expected until 4pm.

That could always be pushed into evening rush hour, so commuters should perhaps start making contingency plans for getting home...

M25 shut due to police incident

Tuesday 26 November 2024 11:57 , Jacob Phillips

The M25 has been blocked in both directions and long queues are building due to a police incident on the busy motorway in north London.

The road has been shut both ways between Junction 24 A111 Stagg Hill (Potters Bar) and Junction 23 A1M (South Mimms).

Travel data site Inrix shows a large section of the M25 has been shut (Inrix)
Travel data site Inrix shows a large section of the M25 has been shut (Inrix)

Metropolitan Line running again

Tuesday 26 November 2024 11:39 , Jacob Phillips

Trains are able to run on the Metropolitan Line again after a section of the line was closed due to a gas leak.

Trains were unable to run between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Watford. There are still minor delays between the stations but there is a good service on the rest of the line.

Severe delays on the Windrush Line

Tuesday 26 November 2024 11:06 , Jacob Phillips

There are severe delays on the recently renamed Windrush Line on the London Overground.

Transport for London has said there are severe delays between Sydenham and West Croydon/Crystal Palace due to an earlier customer incident.

You can read more about the £6.3 million London Overground rebrand here.

A sign for the new Windrush line at Highbury & Islington (PA)
A sign for the new Windrush line at Highbury & Islington (PA)

Farrington Station exit only for Elizabeth line to prevent overcrowding

Tuesday 26 November 2024 10:19 , Jacob Phillips

Farringdon station is currently exit only for the Elizabeth Line to prevent overcrowding.

No trains running on central part of Elizabeth Line until 12.30

Tuesday 26 November 2024 10:10 , Jacob Phillips

The Elizabeth Line is unable to run through central London until lunch time following a fault with the signalling system.

The fault between Abbey Wood and London Paddington means that Elizabeth line services are currently unable to run between these stations.

Trains have been cancelled or revised.

National Rail has warned issues are expected until 12.30pm.

Burst water main outside Victoria Station causes chaos

Tuesday 26 November 2024 08:57 , Jacob Phillips

A burst water main near Victoria Station caused travel chaos on Tuesday morning after several feet of water was sent shooting in the air.

The incident at around 5am on Victoria Street in central London caused eight buses to be put on diversion as engineers closed off the westbound section of road to fix the burst pipe.

The road was partially blocked at Vauxhall Bridge Road before reopening at around 8am as engineers worked to fix the problem.

Burst water main in London’s Victoria this morning. (Jeremy Selwyn)
Burst water main in London’s Victoria this morning. (Jeremy Selwyn)

Defective track causes delays to Gatwick Airport

Tuesday 26 November 2024 08:51 , Jacob Phillips

A defective track has caused delays to Gatwick Airport.

A speed restriction has been put in place between the busy airport and Purley causing trains to be cancelled or delayed by 10 minutes.

It has caused issues on the Gatwick Express as well as on Southern Services and Thameslink trains on similar routes.

The issue is expected to cause delays until around 1pm and National Rail has told customers to allow an extra 20 minutes to complete journeys.

Gas leak stops trains on Metropolitan Line

Tuesday 26 November 2024 08:47 , Jacob Phillips

A gas leak has stopped trains running on the Metropolitan Line as commuters are trying to get to work.

There is currently no service on the line between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Watford while Transport for London respond to the leak.

Meanwhile, the Northern Line has been hit by minor delays due to difficult conditions caused by “significant leaf fall”. The issue also caused delays on the line at the weekend.

Further minor delays have been reported on the Piccadilly Line between Acton Town and Uxbridge after an earlier signal failure at Ealing Common.

Trains stopped during rush hour on Elizabeth line

Tuesday 26 November 2024 08:45 , Jacob Phillips

Trains are unable to run on a section of the Elizabeth line due to a signaling systems fault.

Transport for London warns there is no service on the busy line between Paddington and Abbey Wood during rush hour while it deals with the issue.