TfL dispel concerns over Queen’s tennis final tube havoc
Piccadilly Line closures that fans fear could cause chaos at the HSBC Championships finals at Queen’s Club this weekend have been dispelled by Transport for London.
TfL has decided to close one of the capital’s main underground arteries as part of a series of weekend closures across west London that, at times, have seen no Piccadilly Line trains to Heathrow Airport.
The Piccadilly Line is closed this weekend between Cockfosters and Uxbridge – much of the line – including the Saturday night tube.
It comes as thousands of fans are expected at the Queen’s Club in Baron’s Court for the semi-finals and finals of the HSBC Championships – the British precursor to Wimbledon.
The station will therefore only be served by the District Line, with punters expected to change at adjacent stations to complete what will be a busy journey. It is understood there is confidence that capacity levels will be serviced.
Piccadilly Line chaos?
A Transport for London spokesperson said: “The Tube will be operating this weekend for those wishing to visit The Queen’s Club near Baron’s Court. We have worked with the LTA to ensure that customers can enjoy the tournament and will continue to work hard to ensure a good service for the rest of the championships.”
But the closure of such an important line is a kick in the teeth for Londoners and tourists who were planning on getting themselves to Baron’s Court in a smoother manner.
Engineering works had impacted the tournament earlier this month and the Lawn Tennis Association said they had “requested TfL re-schedule the engineering work to minimise disruption to spectators”, the body said in a statement. They add that TfL had not been able to do this. This weekend’s closure relates to the new fleet of trains set to pound the tracks for decades to come.
The HSBC Championships have been a huge success in the second year in which it has expanded to a two-week tournament to accommodate a week-long women’s roster.
Fans enjoyed Serena Williams and Emma Raducanu last week while a number of big-name drop outs have left the men’s draw wide open.
Transport for London halted works on the Baron’s Court Piccadilly Line platform to enable the Championships to go ahead but closures this weekend will cause havoc for fans expecting to jump on the capital’s blue line.