The suspension will allow upgrade works which will “improve the reliability of service” and allow longer trains to operate on Hammersmith & City and Circle lines from the end of 2012.
In addition to local buses, LU says “passengers for High Street Kensington will still be able to access the station via District line trains from Earl’s Court or Circle line trains from Gloucester Road.
“Passengers for Notting Hill Gate will be able to access the station via the Central line. Passengers for Paddington and Edgware Road will be able to use the Bakerloo line, and passengers for Baker Street will be able to use the Bakerloo and Jubilee lines.”
David Waboso, Capital Programmes Director, LU said: “We are determined to carry out this work in a way that keeps disruption to passengers to an absolute minimum. But we do hope any disruption caused by this block closure will be significantly outweighed by the huge overall benefits of this essential improvement work. The block closure will result in improved reliability and a head start in our preparations for new higher capacity trains.
“Replacing the track, ballast and drainage is a major engineering task, particularly as most of the work takes place in tunnels. By carrying out these works during a block closure we will be able to complete the job in four weeks that would otherwise have required at least twenty weekends of disruption spread across six months or more.”
