Bank Holiday track work to hit rail travel

Bank Holiday travellers have been warned they face widespread rail disruption again at the weekend due to track work.
Rail works are planned for the bank holidayRail works are planned for the bank holiday
Rail works are planned for the bank holiday

Network Rail are warning passengers to check before they trek in case their train is caught up in the Bank Holiday work.

The West Coast main line between London and Scotland through Lancashire will be affected worse than most, with delays expected and replacement bus services laid on.

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“Bank holidays are traditionally quieter times on the railway and provide extra time when we can carry out even more improvement work in an effective and efficient way,” said Martin Frobisher, route managing director for Network Rail.

“These upgrades will help to provide a more reliable railway which is essential as more people choose to travel by train.

“There is never a good time to carry out work of this nature, but we have worked with the train operators to plan it to cause the least amount of disruption and make sure passengers can plan or make alternative arrangements.

“I apologise for any inconvenience caused and urge anyone who plans to travel by train over the Bank Holiday weekend to check with National Rail enquiries or their train operator for the latest information.”

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Network Rail will be carrying out upgrade and maintenance work from the last trains on Friday until the start of service on Tuesday to provide a better, more reliable railway.

The West Coast main line between London Euston and Scotland, via the West Midlands and north west, is one of the busiest in the country and will see a range of work taking place to help improve performance and reliability.

Work will be taking place from Carlisle in the north, to Wolverhampton and Stafford in the Midlands and Tring and Weedon in Northamptonshire in the south.

The investment is intended to help provide a better railway for the millions of passengers who travel by train on the railway – but will mean short-term disruption while the improvements are carried out.

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On the northern end of the route track renewal work will take place in the Crewe, Warrington and Wigan area and track maintenance and improvements will also take place in the Carlisle area. This will affect passengers travelling on services to and from Scotland.

Work will also take place in the Stafford area as part of a £250m investment to improve capacity, reliability and journey times on the West Coast main line.

The work will affect passengers on services between Birmingham and Liverpool and Birmingham and Manchester. At certain times long distance services will be diverted via Manchester.

At the southern end of the route only two of the four tracks will be in use between Tring and Hemel Hempstead while track renewal work takes place. All of the work will mean either longer journeys or bus replacement services.

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The line between Bolton and Manchester will also be closed over the weekend and will reopen on the Tuesday morning with a reduced service during the week and bus replacement services during weekends until October 2015.

The work is connected to the planned upgrade of the Farnworth Tunnel which is being enlarged as part of the electrification programme.