Severe rush hour delays on Elizabeth line after track fault in west London

Commuters face severe disruption on the Elizabeth line, with issues expected to last all day due to a broken track.

A broken track is wreaking havoc on journeys this morning as bleary-eyed travellers head to work.

Journeys on the Elizabeth line, Great Western Railway and Heathrow Express are likely to take longer than usual after a broken track was detected in the Hayes and Harlington area.

A speed restriction over the faulty section means fewer train can run on the line between Reading, Heathrow Terminal 5 and London Paddington station.

And it is not a quick fix as disruption is expected to last for the entire day.

National Rail said: ‘A speed restriction over defective track near Hayes & Harlington means fewer trains are able to run through the affected area. As a result of this, trains between Reading, Heathrow Terminal 5 and London Paddington may be cancelled, delayed or revised.’

One frustrated passenger vented about their commute on social media: ‘And the Elizabeth line once again succeeds at making my morning commute 1000% more painful than it needs to be.’

On the Elizabeth line, the section between Reading and West Drayton is the worst affected, while the rest of the line has good service, the latest TfL travel status update shows.

Here is a full list of all the routes where severe delays are expected:

• Elizabeth line between Reading / Maidenhead / Heathrow Terminal 4 and Abbey Wood
• Great Western Railway between Penzance / Plymouth / Paignton / Exeter St Davids / Weston-super-Mare / Carmarthen / Swansea / Cardiff Central / Hereford / Great Malvern / Cheltenham Spa / Bristol Temple Meads / Bedywn / Banbury / Oxford / Didcot Parkway / Reading and London Paddington
• Heathrow Express between Heathrow Terminal 5 and London Paddington

Elsewhere, the Bakerloo, Circle, Jubilee and District lines are experiencing minor delays this morning.

The Bakerloo and Jubilee line delays are caused by train cancellations, while the Circle and District line issues are due to another track fault at Tower Hill.

The Piccadilly line remains suspended at the western end of the route between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge because of risk of damage to train wheels from signifant leaf fall.

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