Gatwick airport station has been evacuated due to concerns of overcrowding, amid train delays of up to two hours.
Several incidents across the Southern Railway have sparked travel chaos across the network. The operator said two people were hit by a train, one in the Gatwick airport area at around 10.30am on Monday, and another between Luton and St Albans City at around 9.15am. Emergency services attended the scene of both incidents.
Trains between Luton and London St Pancras International, and through Gatwick airport, are expected to be severely delayed, cancelled or revised. Major disruption across the network is expected until the end of the day.
Police were called to Three Bridges railway station near Gatwick airport following reports of a casualty on the tracks.
“Paramedics also attended, however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner,” the British Transport Police said in a statement.
They were also called to the line near St Albans railway station where another person was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said enquiries are ongoing into the circumstances leading up to their death.
A spokesperson for Govia Thameslink Railway, which runs Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services, said: “We’re doing everything we can to get people back on the move, working with colleagues at Network Rail and the British Transport Police, and arranging taxis and ticket acceptance on local buses.
“Passengers are being advised to postpone their travel where possible as the main line between London and Brighton is shut.”
Southern services between Brighton, Gatwick airport, East Croydon and London have been cancelled or severely delayed, and Thameslink and Gatwick Express services will not run until further notice.
Southern Railway said: “If you are travelling now, your journey will take at least 120 minutes longer than usual to complete and we cannot guarantee that you will be able to reach your destination.”
Passengers travelling to the airport have been advised to allow more time for their journey, and those who remain on board a train that has come to a standstill have been told not to leave the train unless directed to do so. “We know where you are and we are working to get you on the move again shortly,” it added.
Rail replacement buses have been requested to run a shuttle service connecting routes between Luton and Bedford, Stevenage and St Neots and further connections towards London. This has not yet been confirmed.
Southern Railway said it first received reports of someone being hit between London and Bedford, and was soon alerted to the second incident between Haywards Heath and Gatwick airport.
“Staff are working with Network Rail and the emergency services to deal with these incidents as sensitively, quickly and safely as possible,” it said.
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