The Good News..... More Trains in 2011

And the bad news is fewer trains until 2010

The numbers of passengers using the Richmond to Stratford line has swelled since the service was taken over by London Overground last year. The inclusion of the service on the Oyster network has made it much more convenient to use. However, passengers will be disappointed by an announcement from Transport for London today which explains how upgrading the railway will lead to disruption for the rest of this year.

London Overground is to change the frequency of services on some parts of the network as it presses ahead with ambitious plans to upgrade the railway.

During the latest stage of the £326 million upgrade of London Overground from 20 April until December 2009, there will be a number of changes to services:

There will be a reduction of one train per hour for passengers travelling between Richmond and Stratford during peak times. There will be four trains an hour again when the work finishes.

The line will also be closed on most Sundays with a replacement bus service available.

All peak time trains from Clapham Junction will now continue on to Stratford, instead of some terminating at Willesden Junction.

Passengers between Willesden Junction and Stratford will have six trains an hour in the peak times calling at their station, which for many stations is an increased service.

There will also be no service on most Sundays between Shepherd's Bush and Willesden Junction, however a shuttle train service will run between Clapham Junction and Shepherd's Bush.

The work, being carried out for London Overground by Network Rail between Camden Road and Dalston, will enable London Overground to run as many as eight trains per hour from 2011.

TfL London Rail's Chief Operating Officer, Howard Smith said he sympathised with passengers, and asked them to be patient: 'We hope that passengers will bear with us, while the upgrade is delivered.

'These are vital works to allow us to provide the benefits we promised to our passengers.

'This major investment now will result in a fantastic network well in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.'