Rail passengers in Cambridgeshire will face significant disruption to services next month as part of a major £1.2bn upgrade.
Work will be carried out along the southern end of the East Coast Main Line and will close the line between Peterborough and Cambridge into London King's Cross and London St Pancras International during the August Bank Holiday.
Passengers are being advised not to travel on services which start or terminate in the capital on August 24 or 25 and are told to travel on either August 23 or 27, although there will also be a heavily reduced service on Monday, August 26.
The work expects to bring significant benefits for all users of the route, including quicker journeys and an increased number of services in what is the first planned closure of the East Coast Main Line in 20 years.
Upgrades are scheduled to take place at stops including London King's Cross, Stevenage and Newark, such as improvements to signals, an additional platform and a new level crossing.
The bank holiday works have been carefully planned to limit disruption to passengers and to help minimise any future closures.
Ed Akers, principal programme sponsor for Network Rail, said: "Major work to upgrade the East Coast Main Line will mean significant changes to services this August Bank Holiday weekend.
"We are urging passengers not to travel on 24 or 25 August as there will be significant disruption.
"We appreciate that this will impact on people, however this work is absolutely to vital to make sure we continue to provide a railway which is fit for purpose and this upgrade will bring significant benefits to passengers once completed."
A spokesperson on behalf of train operators along the route said: "The work means no train services are able to run between Peterborough and London King's Cross, Cambridge and London St Pancras International and between Stevenage and Moorgate via Hertford North, so passengers are urged not to travel if possible.
"Other routes into London will operate but will be extremely busy.
"Once completed, the project will enable quicker and more reliable journeys, more frequent services and additional seats."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here