Boat Race 2016: Fears of travel chaos as engineering works close key train stations along route

Spectators watching last year's Boat Race
Rex
Hatty Collier27 March 2016

Tens of thousands of people face travel misery on Boat Race day after Network Rail scheduled engineering work that will close neighbouring train stations.

Trains will not call at four stations along the route of the historic clash between Oxford and Cambridge, which falls this year on March 27 - Easter Sunday.

More than a quarter of a million people are expected to attend the annual event as Oxford look to beat their rivals for the seventh time in nine years.

But trains will not be stopping at stations including Putney, Barnes, Chiswick and Barnes Bridge on the day when spectators will line the river to watch rowers complete the four and a quarter mile race from Putney to Mortlake.

Councillor Mike Ryder, who represents the Thamesfield ward, told the Standard: “I know train companies have to do engineering work on weekends and holiday periods when fewer people are around – but if they think that applies on Boat Race weekend in Putney with 250,000 spectators their maths must be worse than mine.”

Trains will not stopping at:

Putney

Barnes

Barnes Bridge

Chiswick

The line between Clapham Junction and Barnes will be closed for the entire Easter weekend

A four day project to replace Fairfield Street Bridge near Wandsworth Town station means all lines between Clapham Junction and Barnes will be closed from Good Friday until Easter Monday.

Spectators who had planned to travel between Clapham Junction and Barnes by train will have to travel using rail replacement buses or Tube where possible.

Network Rail and South West Trains are advising passengers to avoid Clapham Junction station over the weekend, particularly on race day.

A Boat Race spokesperson said: “The Boat Race organisers were made aware of the engineering works in February.

“Once a final plan was in place, South West Trains notified us and we are working with their team to make sure anyone travelling to The Cancer Research UK Boat Races are aware of the replacement service ahead of the event.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: “We are improving the railway for passengers but to do that we have to make changes to train services over Easter.

Spectators gathering to watch last year's Boat Race
Ben Hoskins/Getty Images

"From new track to new signals, this work will play an important part in increasing the reliability of the railway.

“We have been working closely with South West Trains to ensure spectators are aware of alternative travel arrangements so that they can continue to enjoy the boat race.

"We have also contacted the organisers of the event to make them aware of alternative travel arrangements for spectators.”

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