RAIL passengers between Dorset and London have been warned of major disruption at Waterloo station.

Network Rail is urging people to consider travelling at different times of day or consider working from home during the upgrade to the station next month.

Platforms 1-10 will close from August 5-28 while engineers extend platforms at the UK’s busiest station. The work will allow for longer trains in future.

Becky Lumlock, Network Rail route managing director, said: “This £800million Waterloo and South West Upgrade is the largest investment for decades and will increase peak time capacity into Waterloo by 30 per cent. That’s room for an extra 45,000 people each morning and afternoon – equivalent to more than the capacity of the O2 arena and Oval Cricket ground combined. It will mean longer trains, more seats, more comfortable journeys for passengers and less traffic on Britain's congested roads.

“Doing major improvement work is always very disruptive. We know we couldn’t completely close Waterloo – a station which has more passengers than Heathrow airport – to complete the work. But we do need to close platforms 1-10 for most of August – that’s half the station. There will be a much-reduced timetable and there will be changes to services throughout the day."

Detailed information will be at networkrail.co.uk/wswupgrade