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Chaos caused by the partial shutdown of Waterloo mainline station in August is set to be worse than forecast, it was revealed today.

Additional tracks and an extra platform will have to be closed for engineering work, meaning thousands more passengers suffering major disruption.

There will be severe restrictions at the station between August 5 to 28. This coincides with similar restrictions at London Bridge and Cannon Street (August 26 to September 2); no rail service from Charing Cross and Waterloo East (August 26 to 2 September 2); severe restrictions at Liverpool Street (August 26 to 28); no service from Euston (August 26 to 27); and restrictions from Paddington (August 19 to September 1). These are also all for engineering and upgrade work.

Network Rail will now have to close 10 of the 19 platforms at Waterloo and not nine as originally forecast. The extra platform shutting will have a huge impact on the emergency timetable and is being done to ensure the station reopens on schedule on Tuesday August 29, when many passengers return from their summer holidays.

A senior manager warned of “organised chaos, but the work has to be done.” The £800 million Waterloo upgrade will include longer platforms and the opening of the former Eurostar base to ease overcrowding on some of the busiest routes in the country.

It comes as more than 1,000 Southern Rail train drivers began a new strike ballot today over a pay rise package and changes to working conditions, threatening yet more disruption for 300,000 passengers. The result is due on July 13, but the Aslef union is recommending the deal be rejected.

It came as a continuing overtime ban by Southern drivers caused cancellations and delays to more than 550 trains — a quarter of the service.

The 15-month dispute — the longest-ever on UK railways — is over plans for driver-only operated trains and changes to the role of guards.

A Southern spokesman said: “Our pay offer, of 24% over four years, is one of the best anywhere in Britain today.” But Aslef claimed Southern had failed to recruit enough drivers.