Northern line through Bank to reopen next week

City commuters will be relieved from 17 weeks of disruptions next week, with the reopening of the Bank branch of the Underground’s Northern line.

Services between Kennington and Moorgate were suspended in January, to allow the track to be realigned through a new southbound platform built over the last couple of years.

Transport for London said the new, wider southbound Northern line platform and “spacious” new customer concourse at Bank would open on 16 May, along with service to all stations along the Bank branch.

The last day of service for the route 733 bus, introduced specifically for the closure period, would be 13 May.

TfL said the upgrade of Bank station would see its capacity increased by 40% when all work finishes later in the year, with step-free access to the Northern line and improved access to the DLR platforms, two new moving walkways, 12 new escalators and two new lifts still to be finished.

There would also be more direct routes within the station, and a new station entrance on Cannon Street.

“I'm delighted to confirm that we're on schedule to fully reopen the Northern line on Monday 16 May after successfully completing the challenging next phase of vital upgrade works at Bank station,” said TfL’s chief capital officer Stuart Harvey.

“The improvements we're making at Bank station will be finished by the end of this year and will totally transform customer journeys through the station.

“Anyone who's familiar with Bank station will know how its labyrinthian layout can be confusing and time-consuming to navigate.”

Harvey said Northern line customers would now have a new, wider southbound platform and “spacious” customer concourse.

“The countdown is on for completing the rest of this major upgrade which is one of the largest and most complicated subterranean railway complexes in the world.”