Lines reopened: disruption between London St Pancras International and Luton expected until 17:00 

Route(s) affected

East Midlands Railway between London St Pancras International and Corby / Nottingham / Sheffield

Thameslink between Brighton / Three Bridges / Gatwick Airport / East Grinstead and Bedford, and also between Rainham (Kent) and Luton

Description

Lines have reopened following an earlier trespass incident between West Hampstead Thameslink and Luton Airport Parkway.

As services return to normal, trains between London St Pancras International and Luton may continue to be delayed by up to 20 minutes or revised.

This is expected until 17:00.

Thameslink customer advice:

You can use your planned route to travel, however trains may still be delayed by at least 30 minutes.

Late-running trains may be revised. This means they may not stop at all of the usual stations, or they may terminate part of the way along their usual routes.

As a result, you may need to change trains to get to your destination.

This may mean your journey takes longer. However, it does allow trains and crews to get back to the right places for the rest of the day's timetable.

Departure boards and station announcements will be kept up to date, so please keep an eye on the latest information when you're travelling.

If you are travelling between London, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton or Bedford, you can also use your ticket on alternative East Midlands Railway services between these stations at no additional cost.

Please talk to station staff, look at information boards or check your journey planner for the latest information.

Planning your journey:

For help planning your journey, check live departure boards, view a live network map or see alternative route guides.

If you’re travelling within London, you can use the TfL Journey Planner.

Stay up to date on the move with Thameslink's WhatsApp channel. Live updates are available Monday to Friday, 07:00–21:00.

Can you tell me more about the incident?

A trespass incident was reported in the Mill Hill Broadway area earlier today

In this case, trains needed to stop entirely, as it was not safe to run services past the person. Emergency services and Network Rail responders have attended to make sure the person is removed.

Trespassing on the railway is very dangerous. Trains run all day, every day - whether passenger trains, freight trains or specialist engineering work machines. It's not possible to be sure that you can hear when a train is coming, and in many cases, you won't see a train until it is very close to you.

In many areas, trains are powered by an electric third rail, which carries a dangerous electric current. There are also other electrical systems and cables, slippery surfaces, steep drops and other hazards.

As well as the dangers, trespassing on the railway is also illegal, and obstructing the railway can carry severe penalties.

Check before you travel:

You can check your journey using the National Rail real-time Journey Planner.

Compensation:

You may be entitled to compensation if you experience a delay in completing your journey today. Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim.