A multi-million pound investment in London Waterloo station will allow longer trains to run through Wimbledon and Earlsfield by 2017.

More than £800m is being spent on construction work at Waterloo, which will bring back platforms 20-24 with a new track, signalling and a concourse for thousands of passengers.

Dan Watkins, Stephen Hammond and Christian Roth at Waterloo

Platforms one to four will be extended, accommodating longer 10-carriage trains on suburban lines serving Wimbledon and Earlsfield.

This will provide a 25 per cent increase in space for passengers at peak times.

Stephen Hammond, MP for Wimbledon, and Dan Watkins, Conservative Parliamentary spokesman for Tooting met with Christian Roth, managing rirector of South West Trains at Waterloo Station.

Mr Watkins said Mr Roth had confirmed that once initial work to the Waterloo International platforms has been completed, work will start to extend platforms one to four in August next year.

This will require platforms one to nine to be closed for 24 days, which will temporarily reduce the number of trains operating.

This period has been chosen to lessen the disruption caused to commuters, since the volume of train journeys made in the summer holidays is much reduced.

It is hoped the longer trains will be operating by December 2017.

Mr Watkins said: "After years of severely overcrowded journeys for Earlsfield commuters, I am delighted that the Department of Transport and South West Trains have agreed the investments needed to provide longer trains to Earlsfield station, and that work has started.

"In the very long-term, I have concerns about the possible impact of Crossrail 2 on Earlsfield services from 2030, but having discussed it with South West Trains is reassuring to know that solutions to the 'Earlsfield issue' are already being sought."

Mr Hammond said: “I am very pleased that there is a firm timetable to deliver longer commuter trains to Waterloo. These will have a massive impact on overcrowding levels and ensure a more comfortable journey for commuters.

"I also asked Mr Roth about how South West Trains are working with Crossrail 2, and about plans for improving the Wimbledon station with either a wider concourse or a footbridge between platforms.”

Mr Roth, said: "This investment will provide a 30 per cent increase in space for passengers during the busiest times of the day, which we know will be greatly welcomed by passengers.

"We will be working closely with our partners, including Network Rail and the Department for Transport, to keep passengers well informed throughout this programme of works.

"Further investment, such as Crossrail 2, will also be needed to meet the growing numbers of passengers travelling in the future and we are continuing to work with others to provide even more capacity for passengers beyond 2019."