Work will start this week to transform Whitechapel station in London, ahead of the Transport for London (TfL) Crossrail services that will be finished two years from now.

The station will be modernised by being made step-free, making it accessible for all passengers via new street-level lifts. The ticket hall will also be expanded and the new Crossrail platforms will integrate with the station's Tube and London Overground rail services.

Thanks to the changes, passengers will be able to easily access services across London and to Essex and Berkshire.

Whitechapel station will receive a new temporary station entrance from 18th January during the renovations and a pedestrian crossing will be moved closer to the station entrance to give customers improved access.

Speaking on the improvements, Howard Smith, Tfl's operations director of Crossrail, said: "People living or working in Whitechapel will benefit from convenient, step-free journeys to new parts of London without the need to change trains."

The changes will also mean there will be more frequent journeys between Whitechapel and stations to Reading in the west and east to Shenfield in Essex.