ALL trains from Woking towards Basingstoke have been cancelled after engineers discovered structural defects to a footbridge between Brookwood and Woking.

The cancellations have affected commuters travelling from London to Hampshire.

The chaos began when engineers from Network Rail Wessex discovered structural defects in a pedestrian footbridge over the railway near Woking.

To ensure passenger safety, both the footbridge and the railway were closed immediately.

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While the railway was reopened later, trains were forced to operate at reduced speeds, causing severe disruptions.

At 7pm, Network Rail Wessex made the decision to close the railway entirely to begin work on making the railway safe.

South Western Railway (SWR) experienced significant challenges due to the safety checks and disruptions caused by the structural issues.

Safety checks between Brookwood and Woking led to delays and revisions in train services.

SWR said that all lines were blocked to allow specialist teams to carry out work overnight to enable as many passengers as possible to travel on Monday, December 4.

SWR is advising customers to not travel on the following routes;
- Woking to Southampton
- Woking to Exeter St Davids
- Woking to Alton

To address the inconvenience faced by passengers, SWR is allowing customers to book their own taxis for travel between Woking and Southampton Central.

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Refunds for these journeys were offered, requiring customers to provide their contact details, proof of a valid ticket, and the taxi receipt.

The repair works are expected to cause further cancellations and delays for trains between Woking and Basingstoke this week.

The footbridge removal work is scheduled for Wednesday, December 6, taking advantage of a day with a reduced number of services due to a planned ASLEF strike and ongoing engineering work.