Rail passengers travelling to and from Hitchin are being advised to plan ahead, as major engineering works on the East Coast Main Line will cause widespread disruption across several weekends in late January and February.

The work, being carried out by Network Rail, will impact services between London, Peterborough, Royston and Stevenage, with rail replacement bus services in operation on affected routes.

Weekend disruption details

31 January–1 February and 7–8 February

There will be:

• No trains between London and Peterborough/Royston
• No trains to Stevenage via Hertford North

Long-distance operators will run amended services, with rail replacement buses running between Peterborough and Bedford. Thameslink and Great Northern will operate various replacement bus routes, with some connecting to Midland Main Line services for journeys into central London.

Saturday 15 February only

On this date there will be:

• No long-distance services between Peterborough and London
• No trains between Potters Bar and St Neots/Letchworth Garden City
• No trains between Moorgate and Finsbury Park
• No trains between Stevenage and Hertford North

Rail replacement buses will again operate between Peterborough and Bedford, with additional bus services replacing Thameslink and Great Northern trains.

21–22 February

Passengers will face:

• No trains between Potters Bar and Peterborough/Royston
• No trains between Hertford North and Stevenage

Amended long-distance services will run, alongside rail replacement buses between Peterborough and Bedford and local bus services replacing Thameslink and Great Northern routes.

What the work involves

Ricky Barsby, Network Rail's head of access integration, ECDP, said the weekends will see "a significant amount of vital work," including further steps towards introducing digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line.

"This investment will mean a more reliable, greener and even safer railway for the millions of people who travel on this route each year," he said.

"We appreciate that these upgrades will affect journeys, and we're grateful to passengers for their patience while our teams carry out this essential work."

A spokesperson for Great Northern and Thameslink added: "We'll be working hard to keep passengers moving while this essential work takes place. Rail replacement services and revised timetables will help people reach their destinations, and our teams will be on hand to support customers."