With just over six weeks remaining, rail customers in south east London and Kent are being urged to plan ahead as Network Rail and its partners prepare to deliver a major upgrade at Dartford Junction during the February half‑term.
The £10 million investment will see one of the busiest and most complex junctions on the Kent network significantly renewed, strengthening reliability and performance at a location used by around 650 trains every day. The works are designed not only to improve day‑to‑day operations but also to future‑proof an increasingly pressured part of the railway.
At the heart of the programme is the renewal of 10 switches and crossings – the critical moveable sections of track that allow trains to change direction – alongside the installation of around 400 yards of new rail between Slade Green and Dartford. Together, these interventions will reduce failures, improve resilience and support more consistent service delivery across the wider route.
Taking advantage of the full line closure, teams will also carry out a range of station enhancements, ensuring customers and staff benefit from tangible improvements alongside the core infrastructure works. Dartford station will receive new tactile paving, improving accessibility and reducing the stepping distance between trains and platforms.
Elsewhere on the route, Stone Crossing station will see damaged fencing replaced, while the accessible toilet at Greenhithe will be refurbished. Deep cleaning is planned at Swanscombe, and Northfleet will benefit from new LED lighting and additional customer information screens to aid journey planning. All stations closed for the duration of the works will be repainted, improving the overall station environment.
The main junction upgrade will take place during a nine‑day closure from 14 to 22 February, aligned deliberately with the school half‑term when passenger numbers are typically lower. Additional weekend closures are scheduled for Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 February to allow preparation works, with follow‑up activity planned for Sunday 1 March and Sunday 5 April. Rail replacement bus services will operate on each of these dates.
David Davidson, Chief Operating Officer for the South Eastern Railway, said:
“The work at Dartford Junction, where 650 trains pass every day, is a vital investment in the long-term resilience and efficiency of one of the busiest junctions of our network. We want to thank customers for their patience while we carry out this essential upgrade.
“We’ve deliberately chosen the half-term to minimise disruption as schools are on holiday and fewer people are commuting. We will be making the most of the time available when trains are not running to carry out station refurbishments, including installing tactile paving at Dartford station to improve accessibility and safety.
“We understand that this will be disruptive and we’re working hard to ensure passengers are fully informed about the closure so that they can make their alternative travel arrangements. By doing the work over the February half-term, we can fit everything we need to do into one nine-day closure. The alternative would be up to 30 weekends, which would be much more disruptive over a longer period.”
Image credit: Network Rail
