Major train delays into London as upgrade works hit Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services

Thousands of commuters into London suffered major delays today
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Dick Murray|Ben Morgan18 February 2019

Thousands of commuters into London suffered major delays today as upgrade works are carried out on one of the busiest train lines in the country.

Some rush-hour journeys from Brighton into Victoria were taking around an hour longer than usual after the line was closed all week south of Three Bridges.

Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express passengers are all affected.

Some 240 replacement buses were taking passengers between Brighton and Three Bridges – the biggest ever single operation of its kind on the railways.

The line is closed until Sunday between Three Bridges and Brighton, and between Three Bridges and Lewes, while work is carried out in an £67million upgrade to improve reliability and modernise infrastructure.

Commuters vented their frustrating at the length of the engineering works and inconvenience caused.

Mark Burridge, 31, a customer relations manager working near Oxford Street, said: “Its the delay, the cost and the fact I got up two hours early to anticipate a long trip into London.

“Sometimes I can stay with my girlfriend in Brixton but she’s away this week and I am going to have to do this journey every day until Saturday. I’m dreading it.

“Today wasn’t too bad. I’m here 45 minutes before I thought I would be. I’m not looking forward to the return tonight.”

Many took to social media to complain they could not claim compensation for late or cancelled trains.

Under regulations surrounding Network Rail improvement works, passengers cannot claim ticket refunds if service changes are announced in advance.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of Transport Focus, the independent national watchdog, called for Brighton Line users to be made a “special case.”

He said: “Commuters in particular have put up with a lot... there should be some sort of (refund) payment.”

Last month Brighton line commuters faced maximum increases in the annual fares hike with a year-long season ticket rising by £148 to £4,844. More than 300,000 journeys take place on the line every day.

An National Rail spokesman warned of “significant changes to train journey services across Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink networks and longer journey times for some passengers.”

He said passengers should allow “considerably more time for their journeys.”

“Without this programme of work reliability on the Brighton Main Line will deteriorate in the months and years ahead leading to more delays for passengers.”

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