Tube line to close for four months

CHRISTIAN WOLMAR

Transport Correspondent

Commuters on London Underground's Northern Line - dubbed the "misery line" - face disruption for four months when a key part of the line is closed next summer.

The southbound section through the City between Camden Town in north London and Kennington in south London will be closed from July 1996 because of concern that the building works associated with the pounds 1.9bn Jubilee Line extension at London Bridge could cause flooding. London Underground hopes that part of the line, between Camden and Moorgate, will reopen at some point during those four months.

Northbound trains will continue to run but will be subject to disruption and will probably not stop at London Bridge.The closure has not been officially announced but last night a spokeswoman confirmed that it would take place.It comes after last week's closure, for eight months, of the King's Cross Northern Line platforms because of the refurbishment of a faulty escalator. The platforms are due to reopen next June.

London Underground is also seeking an extra pounds 190m from the Government to compensate contractors who have hit unforseen problems on the Jubilee Line extension.