SkyTrain's Expo line has been shut down for the entire day between Braid and Columbia stations in New Westminster due to a "track issue", TransLink announced today.

TransLink has advised commuters and travellers to either make use of an existing "bus bridge" between the stations or to plan travel using alternate bus routes.

SkyTrain service on the Millennium and Canada lines is unaffected by the disruption.

In a March 3 news release, TransLink said that because of the nature of the unspecified track issue, repairs are not possible until the end of service today.

Extra security and Transit Police have been deployed to the affected stations to control crowd movement and passenger safety, TransLink said in its release.

TransLink is advising customers looking for alternate routes to visit its Trip Planner website and click "Don't use SkyTrain" under "advanced search" settings.

The following "critical alert" was added to TransLink's Trip Planning website at 11 a.m. today (reproduced below exactly as it appears):

"Expo Line delays. No train service between Columbia and Sapperton.Trains from Production Way will turn around at Sapperton Station. Bus bridge between Braid and New West in both directions. Bus Bridge locations: New West Stn: Bay 8 stop 61655 on Carnarvon St outside bus loop. Columbia Stn to New West: 52331 westbound on Columbia at Fourth St. Columbia to Production: Stop 52317 eastbound on Columbia at Fourth St. Sapperton to New West: Stop 53218 E. Columbia St at Keary St Sapperton to Braid: Stop 53111 E. Columbia St at Keary St Braid Stn: HandyDART stop 58709 (in front of Bay 6)"

Update

TransLink announced this morning tha the issue with the track has been fixed. The Expo line is operating normally.