Turnham Green closing early due to refurb

No trains after 11pm through to October

Due to a station refurbishment from Wednesday, June 16 to Thursday, October 21, 2004 Turnham Green station will close at 11pm from Sunday to Friday inclusive. Normal opening times will apply on Saturday nights. The only exception to this pattern will be Tuesday, August 31, and Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 September 2004 when it will be open at normal times.

During early closing times there will be a rail replacement bus service between Turnham Green and Stamford Brook from 11pm until just after the last train arrives at Stamford Brook at 1.05am. Buses will operate at approximately 8-minute intervals.

Residents have reacted with derision to claims by Transport for London that a planned refurbishment will make Turnham Green tube station 'the envy of the network'.

Rather than 'Turnham Green with envy' it was more of a case of 'Turnham Red with anger' as the refurbishment seemed to offer little other than cosmetic changes to the station. The work will involve a four month's disruption to services with no trains stopping at the station after 11pm. Ironically this was one of the rare parts of the day during which the Piccadilly line served the station.

The refurbishment work is now underway and when the project is finished in a year's time the station roof will have been repaired, the canopy restored, improvements made to drainage on the platforms and a new fire alarm and communication system will be up and running. All public areas will be deep cleaned and redecorated.

After the preliminary work is completed in June, the station will close earlier in the evening so the refurbishment teams can have a longer work period than usual each night.

Bob Thorogood, General Manager of the District line said: 'We ask our customers to bear with us during the period when we are obliged to close the station early. I believe regular customers will find the finished result well worth the disruption.'

The refurbishment does not appear to include improved electronic train information services or disabled access to the platforms although users of the station were relieved to hear that something will finally be done about the station announcement system. There was also no comment from Transport for London about safety issues at the station. Concerns have been expressed for some time about the narrow island platform configuration of the station combined with the fast traveling trains. The number of deaths and serious accidents at the station has been as high as any station on the tube network in recent years.

Ken Livingstone had previously committed to review the non-stopping of Piccadilly line trains at Turnham Green as soon as he took control of the Tube. More recently Bob Kiley, the Transport Commissioner, visited Chiswick and also suggested that a review was possible.

June 16, 2004