From later this week, westbound Central line trains wont be stopping at St Paul’s tube station during the morning and evening rush hours until next April.

This is due to escalator works that will see reduced capacity at the station, so in addition to entry only being possible via the stairs, the westbound trains wont stop at the station between 7:30am and 10am, and 4pm and 7:30pm.

The escalators at St Paul’s tube station were installed in 1997 and can only be refurbished one at a time in order to prevent closing the station entirely.

In addition to entry being via the stair case, in the morning peak hours and for the night tube, the station will be exit only.

Customers are being advised to use nearby Bank and Chancery Lane Tube stations (Central line) or alternative lines at Mansion House and Barbican.

London Underground’s escalators tend to be in operation in both directions for up to 20 hours a day and must be refurbished every 20 years and replaced every 40 years. The escalators in the top section are now due for their mid-life refurbishment.

Over 17 million customers use St Paul’s Underground station every year.

The refurbishment work is scheduled to finish in April 2019.