Plans to close Watford Junction Station for more than two weeks in August have been revised following concerns about the disruption it would have caused in the town.

Network Rail has split the blockade into three separate periods to ease the inconvenience for commuters.

The station is set for a number of closures over this year and next due to an extensive track improvement scheme taking place between Bushey and Kings Langley stations.

Under the revised schedule, the first closure will still be between Saturday, May 3 and Monday, May 5.

Then the August closures will take place between Saturday, August 9 and Monday 11, then Saturday, August 16 to Monday 18 and then Saturday, August 23 to Tuesday 26.

There will also be a closure between Wednesday, December 24 and Monday, December 29.

The rail company has also made changes to plans for a long closure in February next year. The revised schedule shows the station will be close from Saturday, February 14 to Monday 16, then Saturday, February 21 to Monday 23.

The last closure of the programme is scheduled to last between Friday, April 3, 2015, and Tuesday, April 7.

The revised schedule was welcomed by Watford’s MP Richard Harrington who said: "I am really pleased that Network Rail has listened and that the number of days with closures has been reduced further to my meetings with them and London Midland.

"Of course any closure is inconvenient but we have to make sure the pressure is eased as much as possible, and the £81 million scheme should prevent the most common problems we have on the lines which lead to delays in the long run."

Mayor of Watford Dorothy Thornhill said: "This would have meant the town was cut off for a whole month, and that would have an impact, possibly a permanent one, on residents and businesses.

"I’m delighted that my lobbying was successful and I was pleasantly surprised at their willingness to look at alternatives to minimise disruption."