Network Rail are reminding passengers in the West Midlands and Coventry that essential rail upgrades are taking place between the 29th and 31st of August 2020.
This is part of a multi-million-pound investment as part of Britain’s Railway Upgrade Plan to increase reliability on the West Coast Main Line.
Essential railway improvements will take place between the West Midlands and London over the August Bank Holiday. To maximise the amount of work that can be completed, the entire railway will be closed between Rugby and Coventry.
With no direct trains between Birmingham and London, passengers are being advised to travel on Friday 28th August or Tuesday 1st September.
Jake Kelly, passenger director for Network Rail, said: “We know there is never a good time to close the railway, but when we do, we try to get as much work done as possible. This August bank holiday is no exception, with essential Railway Upgrade Plan work taking place to improve freight and passenger journeys in the West Midlands and on Merseyside.”
“I’d urge people to plan ahead of this major work. In particular, I’d advise those planning to travel from Birmingham to London to try to travel before the closure of the railway between Rugby and Coventry if possible. Please check National Rail Enquiries for the latest information and be prepared for your journey to be very different to how it is normally.”
The railway will be closed again on Sunday 6th September.
Additionally, passengers are being advised to check before travelling ahead of signalling work in the Liverpool City Region.
Trains will be diverted onto different routes during the work to keep services running in and out of Liverpool.
Some rail replacement buses will be in operation between Warrington and Runcorn and between Crewe and Liverpool South Parkway.
Signalling control is being moved from Ditton to the Manchester Rail Operating Centre (ROC). Liverpool Lime Street, Halton, Runcorn, Allerton, Speke and Garston have been moved to the same system over the last couple of years.
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Responses
Those flyovers already exist?
Why not add a new flyover or underpass to the east of Rugby station on West Coast Main Line to allow London Northwestern Railway trains from the Northampton Loop Line to access onto the WCML slow and fast tracks and a new flyover or underpass to the west of Rugby station to be built. That could help with the bottleneck on the WCML. As Network Rail are still improving the railways in England.