Bedford and Luton train passengers told "do not travel" on Monday morning

Rail passengers are being told not to travel on trains from Bedford and Luton to and from London this morning (Monday June 8).

A signal fault near London has forced Network Rail to close the Midland Main Line line while engineers attempt to rectify the fault.

Thameslink, which runs commuter services from Bedfordshire to the capital, warned it could take hours to fix and are telling its passengers to find an alternative route or stay at home.

A spokesman for Thameslink said this morning: "There is a fault with the signalling system near Hendon which is disrupting our trains.

"At present, Network Rail are sending a team to investigate the problem.

"Trains running through the area in both directions cannot run between London St Pancras and Luton.

"We are advising you NOT to travel on our Intercity route due to the level of disruption. Alternative routes are the only option.

"We are currently looking at alternative arrangements to keep you on the move.

"If you have not yet started your journey, please travel later today if you can.

"If you are already on the train or must travel now, your journey will take a lot longer and you may need to use other travel options."