Rail passengers are being urged to check before travelling this Bank Holiday Weekend as upgrades take place over the long weekend.

Rail upgrades will take place in Liverpool and Coventry between 29th and 31st August to improve the railway.

The investment as part of Britain’s Railway Upgrade Plan will see signalling upgrades in Liverpool and a full closure of the railway between Rugby and Coventry between Saturday 29 and Monday 31 August 2020.

Signalling control is being moved from Ditton to the Manchester Rail Operating Centre (ROC) between Saturday 29 and Monday 31 August 2020.

During the work, trains will be diverted onto different routes keeping trains running in and out of Liverpool. Some rail replacement buses will be in operation between Warrington, Runcorn, Crewe and Liverpool South Parkway.

Similarly, no trains will run on West Midlands Railway services between Leamington Spa and Nuneaton, via Coventry, with rail replacement buses in operation.

The major projects to be carried out this August Bank Holiday weekend include:

• Track replacement work in the Coventry area that will make journeys more reliable on the West Coast main line. No direct services will run between Birmingham and London Euston. Replacement bus services will be in operation.
• Moving signalling control from Ditton to the Manchester Rail Operating Centre between 29-31 August.
• Point renewals, signalling commissioning and track renewals in the St Pancras area will improve safety of the tracks and work towards the opening of Brent Cross station.
• There will be no train service to/from London King’s Cross before 07:10 on 30 August as a result of work.
• Point renewals and maintenance work at Clapton to improve track reliability. This will affect London Overground, Stansted Express and Greater Anglia on 30 August.
• Bridge replacement works in Catford will safeguard the future of the railway lines between Hayes and Lewisham, and Nunhead to Shortlands.

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.”

Phil James, director for Network Rail’s North west route, said: “We know there is never a good time to close the railway, but longer bank holiday weekends mean engineers can carry out complex work like this major upgrade to the signalling system in Ditton as part of the Great North Rail Project.

“I’d like to thank passengers in advance for their patience and encourage them to check National Rail Enquiries now in advance of the upcoming bank holiday weekend.”

Lawrence Bowman, customer experience director for London Northwestern Railway, said: “Network Rail is undertaking a major programme of work and we are urging our customers travelling over the August Bank Holiday weekend to plan their journeys carefully and consider alternative routes.

“Passengers should also remember that face coverings remain mandatory when using public transport, unless exempt on medical grounds, and should be worn on board the train and in the station.”

Nick King, network services director at Network Rail, said:“We are investing over £100m this August Bank Holiday to upgrade the railway for passengers. That means some journeys may be different, so if you plan to travel please check your journey before leaving home, and please follow public health advice by wearing a face covering and travelling at quieter times where possible.”

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “We’re carrying out essential upgrades and maintenance to our tracks and equipment to ultimately reduce the number of delays and cancellations to passengers’ journeys. Anyone travelling over the Bank Holiday weekend should check how their journey could be affected.”

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, said:“The bank holiday weekend engineering work is essential to help us provide more punctual services. We are running additional rail replacement buses to ensure customers can maintain social distancing. Customers should wear face covering when on our stations, trains and rail replacement buses, unless they are exempt from doing so.

“Customers should check before they travel and allow more time for their journeys while the work is taking place. We would like to thank them for their patience and understanding and apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

People who have to travel by rail between 29-31 August should plan ahead and be prepared for changes to their usual journey.

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