Major Signalling Failure at London Waterloo Causes Widespread Disruption
Passengers are being advised to avoid traveling through London Waterloo this morning due to a significant signalling failure. The fourth-busiest station in the UK is experiencing major disruptions that are expected to last until the end of the day. South Western Railway has confirmed that equipment responsible for routing trains in and out of the station has failed, which means platforms one to 14 are currently unavailable.
London Waterloo is home to 24 platforms, more than any other station in the country. A statement from the nationalised operator said: “Engineers are on site attempting to restore the use of the platforms, but with very few trains able to move in and out of London Waterloo and trains and crew already displaced, services across the network are severely disrupted.”
Trains departing later in the day are likely to face delays and alterations, though some services are still expected to operate. It is reported that the signalling system may have now been restored. However, passengers should remain cautious as further issues could arise.
Services at Waterloo Underground station are believed to be unaffected by the current problems. According to National Rail, the incident was first reported just after 5:30 a.m.
Alternative Routes and Travel Options
For those looking to avoid Waterloo, several alternative routes and travel options are available. Any unused tickets valid for today will also be valid for travel tomorrow due to the level of disruption. National Rail has outlined a number of train routes that can be used with the same ticket:
- CrossCountrybetween Reading and Bournemouth
- Great Western Railwaybetween Guildford and Reading; London Paddington and Exeter St Davids; Basingstoke and Reading; Salisbury and Westbury; and Weymouth and Westbury
- Southernbetween Portsmouth Harbour and London Victoria; Southampton Central and Havant; and Dorking and London Victoria
- London Undergroundfrom Waterloo to Wimbledon/Richmond; London Paddington; and London Victoria
In addition to train services, several bus companies are offering alternative routes. These include:
- Falcon Buses 28between Guildford – Worplesdon – Brookwood – Woking
- Falcon Buses 436between Woking – West Byfleet – Byfleet & New Haw – Weybridge
- Falcon Buses 514 and 515between Kingston – Surbiton – Thames Ditton – Esher – Hersham – Walton-on-Thames – Weybridge
- Falcon Buses 456between Staines – Chertsey – Addlestone – West Byfleet – Woking
- Falcon Buses 479between Guildford – Clandon – Horsley – Effingham Village – Bookham – Leatherhead – Ashtead – Epsom
- Falcon Buses 408between Cobham – Oxshott – Leatherhead – Ashtead – Epsom
- London Busesbetween London Waterloo – Clapham Junction – Wimbledon – Subiton – Kingston – Hampton Court – Weybridge – Epsom – Shepperton
- Morebus M1 and M2between Bournemouth – Branksome – Parkstone – Poole
- Morebus 8 and 9between Poole and Hamworthy
- Morebus 16 and 17between Bournemouth – Branksome – Parkstone – Poole
- Morebus 20between Bournemouth – Branksome – Parkstone – Poole
- Morebus N1 & N2between Christchurch – Bournemouth – Poole
- Morebus 30between Wareham – Wool – Dorchester – Weymouth
- Morebus 40between Poole and Wareham
- Stagecoach South 34between Guildford and Woking
- Stagecoach South 35between Guildford and Woking
Staying Informed and Reporting Stories
For the latest updates and news about the situation, passengers are encouraged to check local transport authorities or follow official channels. If you have a story related to the disruption or any other news, you can get in touch with the news team by emailing [email protected] or submitting videos and pictures through their online portal.
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