0:00:00 > 0:00:00Now on BBC One, time for the news where you are.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Good evening and welcome to BBC London.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18I'm Chris Rogers.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Work to transform one of London's busiest rails
0:00:20 > 0:00:23stations is almost complete, and London Bridge station
0:00:23 > 0:00:24will fully reopen tomorrow.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28It couldn't come soon enough for thousands of commuters who have
0:00:28 > 0:00:31often faced delays or had to find new routes in to the capital, since
0:00:31 > 0:00:33work began on the station in 2013.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35We're told the pain will be worth it.
0:00:35 > 0:00:42Tara Welsh reports.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Some little finishing touches to what has been a huge project
0:00:45 > 0:00:46here at London Bridge.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48The capital's oldest station has been completely redeveloped.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50The idea is to allow more trains to travel
0:00:50 > 0:00:53through London with fewer delays.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55The Thameslink programme is all about connecting people north
0:00:55 > 0:01:01and south of London.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04This is transformational in terms of rail travel across London.
0:01:04 > 0:01:10It will take pressure off the Northern line,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13it will mean that people don't have to interchange onto the Tube
0:01:13 > 0:01:15either side of London - they can travel straight
0:01:15 > 0:01:16through from destinations like Peterborough and Cambridge
0:01:16 > 0:01:19and Bedford in the north, right down to Brighton, Horsham
0:01:19 > 0:01:20and Maidstone in the south-east.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23One of the biggest parts of the project has been to untangle
0:01:23 > 0:01:25the complex web of tracks leading to the station.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Here at Bermondsey, trains will now pass under and over each other,
0:01:28 > 0:01:30hopefully leading to fewer delays.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33All of the tracks here at London Bridge have been replaced.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36And the work has been ongoing every single day.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39But some of it has been so disruptive, it's had
0:01:39 > 0:01:42to completely close the station.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45And on those occasions, there have been up to 2,000 people
0:01:45 > 0:01:48working on this site.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52And the project has not been without challenges.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55There have been chaotic scenes at times throughout the programme.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57We recognise that there has been disruption for people while we've
0:01:57 > 0:02:00been constructing London Bridge here, and whilst we've been
0:02:00 > 0:02:02remodelling the track layout and redoing the railway signalling
0:02:02 > 0:02:03here at London Bridge.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05And we thank people for their patience, and hopefully
0:02:05 > 0:02:07they'll recognise that the end product has been something that's
0:02:07 > 0:02:10been worth waiting for.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Some of the work will go on to the spring.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15But for now, passengers will see a new concourse, extra entrances
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and five new platforms.
0:02:18 > 0:02:19And after three years, Cannon Street services
0:02:19 > 0:02:23will stop here again.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25But as a New Year brings higher fares, passengers might not be
0:02:25 > 0:02:31in a celebratory mood at tomorrow's reopening.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Tara Welsh, BBC London News.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Thousands of people lined the streets of central London
0:02:36 > 0:02:39to support the New Year's Parade, which celebrated the diversity
0:02:39 > 0:02:40of London's communities.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43It's a popular event on US TV networks, but this year,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45organisers were keen to reflect our own culture,
0:02:45 > 0:02:49as well as playing host to dozens of American marching bands.
0:02:49 > 0:02:55Sarah Harris reports.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57It's not Chinese New Year until February.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59But for the first time, London's Chinese community came
0:02:59 > 0:03:02to join the New Year's parade to celebrate the capital's
0:03:02 > 0:03:07diversity and spirit.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10We all love to share our culture and that's why, when it's
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Chinese New Year, everyone come and join us as well.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16We say happy New Year but we also say, "Xin nian kuai le".
0:03:16 > 0:03:19And we also say, "Gong hei fat choy!"
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Like that!
0:03:23 > 0:03:26The parade is watched by millions of Americans
0:03:26 > 0:03:29as they wake up to the New Year watching breakfast television.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Many of the 8,000 performers came from across the Atlantic.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34But this year, organisers are keen to promote dozens
0:03:34 > 0:03:37of London traditions from across all of
0:03:37 > 0:03:41the London boroughs.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Clyde, pearly king of Woolwich.
0:03:44 > 0:03:45Peggy Scott, Pearly Queen of Highgate.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49Sue Pace, Pearly Queen of Forest Gate.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51It's meeting the people, it always is, like, you know,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54we take this time out, we're collecting money most
0:03:54 > 0:03:56of the time, but this one's our little bit of fun.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59So, just going down, saying hello to all the people,
0:03:59 > 0:04:00all the visitors - it's lovely.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Thousands of people lined the route from Green Park Tube station
0:04:03 > 0:04:04to Parliament Square.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07There were visitors from all over the world, but plenty of Londoners
0:04:07 > 0:04:10keen to get out of the house and support the event
0:04:10 > 0:04:13in the heart of London.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15We celebrate the culture, and what London is about,
0:04:15 > 0:04:17and all the traditions.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21It gives you a sense of pride that a city like London can still produce
0:04:21 > 0:04:24these fantastic events - and it's starting to rain!
0:04:24 > 0:04:27It's the first time I've ever been as well.
0:04:27 > 0:04:28Or any of us have ever been.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30So, yeah, we're really impressed, it's been great.
0:04:30 > 0:04:3317 London boroughs took part, with special vantage points made
0:04:33 > 0:04:39for children with disabilities to get the best view.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Half of the performers may come from the United States,
0:04:41 > 0:04:43but organisers were determined that in 2018, London's unique spirit
0:04:43 > 0:04:45would shine through.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49Sarah Harris, BBC London News.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56That's it from me.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01We'll be back tomorrow, with breakfast bulletins.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03So I'll say good night, and leave you with the weather forecast
0:05:04 > 0:05:05from Georgina Burnett.
0:05:05 > 0:05:06Good evening.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Well, we finished 2017 on a wet and windy note, and
0:05:08 > 0:05:10that's how we're starting 2018 as well.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12So, this evening, a few blustery showers around.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14They will move away overnight, and, actually, we're left
0:05:14 > 0:05:22with fairly clear skies.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Temperatures down to about 2-3 Celsius, the wind
0:05:24 > 0:05:25dropping off as well,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28so we could see a little bit of frost in more rural
0:05:28 > 0:05:29spots in the morning,
0:05:29 > 0:05:30and some fog patches as well.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32But a dry start the many of us.
0:05:32 > 0:05:33The mid-morning, though,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36brings some rain in from the west, and that's going to be
0:05:36 > 0:05:37fairly heavy at times.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39A southerly wind picks up as well.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42The rain does take a little while to clear, so the further east
0:05:42 > 0:05:45you are, the later you're going to see the late back of that.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47For many, a wet afternoon.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49But drier towards the end of the day for those
0:05:49 > 0:05:50in western parts of London.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Temperatures getting up to about 10-11 Celsius.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54And we continue with that wet and windy theme
0:05:54 > 0:05:57for much of the week - have a look at the outlook,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00and you can see some wet weather over the next few days.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02I'll now hand you over to Susan Powell for the national forecast.