London assembly members have challenged Transport for London (TfL) over District and Circle line closures this weekend.

TfL has planned engineering works on the two lines – meaning the Circle Line will be suspended between Aldgate and Edgware Road.

The District Line will not run between South Kensington and Edgware Road and Wimbledon to Kensington Olympia.

Meanwhile, the Bakerloo Line is shut between Queens Park and Harrow & Wealdstone, which also affects the Overground.

Today the London assembly transport committee questioned TfL bosses Nigel Holness, director of network operations and Peter McNaught, director of asset operations about these closures.

With the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as well as the FA cup final this weekend assembly members were concerned about the effect closures would have on Tube services and congestion in London.

Navin Shah was the first to question the decision by TfL saying that the closures would cause “huge problems” for communities as well as increasing traffic on the roads.

Mr Holness said: “The decision to close the District and Circle lines was not an easy one but the vast majority of TfL services will be running and Wembley will be fully served by the Bakerloo, Jubilee and Metropolitan lines.”

Commenting on how people in London would be able to get to Windsor for the wedding Mr Holness assured assembly members that Tube services into Waterloo and Paddington station for people travelling out to Windsor would be working with no problems.

He added: “The royal wedding is in Windsor not London and these closures are planned one or two years in advance.

“We reviewed the closures the day after the royal wedding was announced and still decided to go ahead with them.

“These closures are about ensuring we have a safe and reliable Tube service.”

Mr Shah also asked about the effect that halting TfL engineering works on the weekend might have as well whether the transport network was confident they could meet an increased number of passengers over the weekend.

Mr Holmes assured the London assembly that TfL could meet an increased volume of passengers over the weekend.

He added: “Stopping the engineering work this weekend is not the primary consideration. It is more important that we do this work on track renewal.

“Millions of pounds have been spent on the renewal of the District line. It is essential we get this work done.”

Mr Holmes also assured assembly members that staffing levels at Waterloo and Paddington would also be adequate to meet passenger numbers.

He said that TfL had looked at data of numbers of people using the Tube on the day of the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles and had used the data as a reflection of passenger numbers for the upcoming royal wedding.

However, assembly member Caroline Russell said: “You are making the assumption that data taken from the previous royal wedding will apply to this one. But this royal wedding seems to be on a much bigger scale.”