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Though it dutifully serves as one of London’s busiest tube lines, the Piccadilly isn’t exactly known for being the smoothest or most reliable experience – and it can get kind of screechy. Suffice to say, it’s about time the navy blue line got a spruce up.
We were warned back in April that the line would have to close for a bit to allow for just that. And now we know exactly when that will be.
The dark blue line from Wood Green to Cockfosters and Rayners Lane to Uxbridge will be blocked off from Saturday August 17 to Sunday September 1 so that work can be carried out on tracks, points and crossings.
Yes, it’s inconvenient, but believe us when we say it’ll be worth the wait. A massive £2.9 billion makeover will modernise the line to make it more safe and reliable and, more excitingly, it’ll make way for a brand-new 94-strong fleet of wider, brighter, air-conditioned (!) trains in 2025. You can get a sneak preview of the swanky new vehicles here.
Frequenters of the Piccadilly line are advised by TfL to check travel information ahead of their journey. Those who use services to Uxbridge should change at Rayners Lane to get the Metropolitan Line. There will be replacement buses serving all stations between Wood Green and Cockfosters.
Stuart Harvey, chief capital officer at TfL, said: ‘Introducing a new fleet of trains is a huge engineering and logistical feat. Although much of the hard work goes on behind the scenes, there are times when we need to close sections of the railway to ensure that all existing infrastructure is compatible with the new trains. Closures of this type are scheduled to take place, where possible, in school holidays when demand on our network is significantly reduced.’
It follows the news that the Overground will also be partly shutting for 16 days in August, while part of the Bakerloo is also set to close in the first week of August.
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