Families visiting London face chaos after three major rail hubs are closed down

FAMILIES face a ruined Easter weekend as three of London’s major railway stations are shut down for engineering works.

No trains are running to or from Euston until Tuesday, Charing Cross station was closed yesterday and remains shut today, and Victoria has axed most services until Tuesday.

It has thrown many people’s travel plans into chaos, as the stations are the main hubs for northern England, the Midlands, and Kent and the south-east.

Network Rail was accused of causing “untold misery” in the latest blight on the Easter getaway, with badly timed engineering works “as predictable as the first daffodil in spring”.

The body planned the works despite it being a school holiday with thousands of families heading to the capital.

The latest blow comes after scenes of mass overcrowding at St Pancras and Marylebone on Good Friday. Those wanting to take the 25-minute Gatwick Express train from the airport to Victoria will face a one-hour journey on a train and two Tubes as Southern has cancelled all Victoria services too.

John Stewart, chairman of the Campaign for Better Transport, told The Sunday Telegraph: “This is terrible planning by the railways. They know this is one of the busiest weekends of the year and trying to leave a London station is like trying to get out on the last flight from Saigon.”

Mr Stewart, speaking in a personal capacity, added: “This will cause untold misery for travellers expecting to have an enjoyable Easter weekend.

“Every year, it’s as predictable as the first daffodil in spring. It is time that the railways start to put passengers first and not their own convenience.”

The new £19 billion Elizabeth Line in London has axed all services through central London until April 11, less than half a year after it fully opened, while five other Underground lines and the London Overground are partly closed.

Network Rail has been contacted for comment.

‘It is terrible planning Trying to leave a London station is like … the last flight out of Saigon’