Waterloo delays latest: South Western Railway passengers told DO NOT travel after train engineering works overrun

Rail commuters have been told not to attempt to travel into London Waterloo after engineering works overran.

Hundreds of thousands of South Western Railway (SWR) passengers using all four routes into Waterloo were warned not to travel on Monday morning.

All lines have now reopened however disruption is expected to last for the entire day.

To compound the problem both Southern and Thameslink services experienced significant disruption due to overrunning engineering work "at various locations".

The SWR issues were caused by engineering work in the Hampton Court area, between Surbiton and Waterloo. Network Rail engineers were earlier said to be working hard to reopen the lines "as soon as possible".

However by the afternoon all trains were still subject to cancellation, delay and revision.

Alternative options for South Western passengers

Tickest will be accepted at no extra cost on the following services:

Southern Rail services via any reasonable route.

London Underground services via any reasonable route.

TfL Bus services from Chessington South/Surbiton/Teddington from/towards London Waterloo.

GWR services via any reasonable route.

If you hold a SWR car park season ticket, you may park at any SWR station today. Your train ticket will also be accepted from that station.

Disruption was expected on Southern and Thameslink services until at least midday, with commuters travelling from the Epsom and Dorking areas told to postpone travelling until later in the morning.

Alternative options for Southern passengers

London Tramlink between Beckenham Junction and Wimbledon.

London Underground via any reasonable route.

London Buses via any reasonable route.

Mutual ticket acceptance between Southern and Thameslink.

Great Western Railway between Dorking Deepdene and Redhill.

Metrobus between Redhill, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges and Crawley, and also between Epsom and Tattenham Corner.

Brighton & Hove Buses been Uckfield, Crowborough and Tunbridge Wells.

Compass Buses between Three Bridges and Uckfield.

Southeastern between Tunbridge Wells and Central London.

Angry commuters have taken to social media to vent their frustration.

Will Sturgeon wrote: "This isn't just a Monday morning, this is a South Western Railway Monday morning."

"Looks like I'll be working from home then. Wish I'd known in advance so I could've made the most of it and slept in," added Rebecca Day.

Data published by rail information website trains.im showed that at 10.45am some 269 SWR trains were cancelled or more than 30 minutes late, equivalent to 75 per cent of all services.

The biggest rail workers' union called on Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to resign because of the "chaos", while the passengers watchdog said there should be a review of the problems uncovered by Network Rail's work.

Mick Cash, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said: "The chaos into Waterloo this morning is just another example of the fragmentation and division on Britain's privatised railways where maintenance schedules and budgets are hacked to the bare bones while private operators like SWR are left with a free hand to rob the network blind in the name of profit.”

Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: "Passengers rely on the railway - this morning tens of thousands of passengers coming into Waterloo could not.

"While engineering and improvement works need to be done, such late notice of the fundamental problems on the approaches to Waterloo this morning is unacceptable.”

SWR has been hit by a spate of problems involving signal and points failures, while a long-running dispute over the role of guards on trains has also crippled services because of strikes.

A Network Rail spokesman apologised for the disruption.

He said: "Currently all four lines are blocked and no trains are able to run between Surbiton and Waterloo. Network Rail workers are on site and hope to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

"Passengers are urged to check before they travel via National Rail Enquiries or with their train operator."