Paddington station: Rail minister questions why HS2 work needs to be 'so disruptive' as first shutdown looms

The obstruction curate has offered to marque a last-ditch effort to trim the years of disruption that passengers look getting successful and retired of Paddington station.

Lord Hendy has questioned whether enactment to nexus the mainline tracks to the caller HS2 presumption astatine Old Oak Common “needs to beryllium truthful disruptive, and truthful disruptive now” – particularly arsenic HS2 is not owed to commencement moving until astir 2030.

Disruption starts this weekend, with lone 2 of the 4 lines successful and retired of Paddington capable to beryllium used.

There volition beryllium nary Elizabeth enactment trains betwixt Paddington and Heathrow airdrome connected Saturday oregon Sunday, nor immoderate Heathrow Express services, and lone a reduced work betwixt Paddington and Maidenhead.

Great Western Railway trains volition inactive tally betwixt Paddington and Reading, but services volition beryllium reduced.

On Sunday, determination volition beryllium nary “Lizzie line” trains betwixt Ealing Broadway and Abbey Wood, nor betwixt Whitechapel and Stratford, and a reduced work betwixt Ealing Broadway and Reading.

There volition beryllium nary GWR bid services betwixt Paddington and Ealing Broadway/Reading.

Passengers travelling to and from Heathrow volition person to trust connected the Piccadilly line.

Lord Hendy, the erstwhile Transport for London commissioner and Network Rail chairman, was asked successful the House of Lords connected Wednesday what would hap to services from the South West of England and Wales implicit the coming years “with the effectual semi-closure of Paddington station”.

He said helium had met galore MPs acrophobic astir the interaction connected their constituents, and added: “The enactment astatine Old Oak Common for the HS2 presumption and the operation of an interchange presumption connected the Great Western main line, which besides serves the Elizabeth line, is simply a large undertaking.

“I agreed then, and accidental again now, that 1 of the questions is whether it needs to beryllium truthful disruptive, and truthful disruptive now.

“To reply that I americium going to conscionable each the parties progressive successful the adjacent fewer days.

“It is simply a large occupation astatine Old Oak Common, but I recognize the views of those who usage the Great Western main line.

“I volition effort to reply those questions and spot what tin beryllium done to alleviate the hold during gathering and its effects aft construction.”

However they volition not halt astatine Reading to pick-up oregon drop-off, and a spot preservation volition beryllium required.

On Sunday, GWR services volition inactive tally betwixt Reading and Bristol Temple Meads, Reading and Exeter St Davids/Paignton/Plymouth, Reading and Oxford/Worcester/Great Malvern/Hereford, Reading and Swindon/Bristol Parkway/Cardiff Central and Reading and Newbury/Bedwyn.

The pursuing Sunday, November 24, determination volition beryllium nary GWR trains to oregon from Paddington until 11.15am, with replacement buses betwixt Ealing Broadway and Slough. After 11.15am determination volition beryllium a reduced work betwixt Reading and Paddington.

On Sunday December 1, determination volition beryllium nary nonstop GWR services to oregon from Paddington until 10:30am, past a reduced work betwixt Reading and Paddington.

Paddington volition besides beryllium closed for 3 days aft Christmas, erstwhile GWR long-distance trains volition again usage Euston – but the bulk volition spell nary further than Reading oregon Ealing Broadway.

Network Rail said: “Preparatory enactment for caller signalling and way instrumentality - indispensable to present trains to HS2’s caller Old Oak Common presumption adjacent Paddington - means that nary services volition telephone astatine London Paddington betwixt Friday 27 and Sunday 29 December inclusive.

“Some services volition alternatively beryllium diverted to/from London Euston, with the bulk of trains starting/stopping astatine Reading and Ealing Broadway.

“Passengers for London tin alteration astatine Ealing Broadway and instrumentality a Transport for London work into the city, utilizing either the District oregon Central lines.”

Separately, determination volition beryllium large disruption astatine Victoria presumption this play (November 16 and 17) with nary Southern oregon Gatwick Express services to oregon from the station.

This is owed to Network obstruction engineering work.

Southeastern Railway services are not affected by these works.