Essential engineering work taking place at the end of February will affect train services through Water Orton in north Warwickshire and Duddeston in Birmingham.
The work will take place between 19 and 27 February when major alterations to the track and lineside drainage as part of long-term improvements to the network, as well as preparatory work for HS2.
During construction, every effort will be made to reduce the impact on passengers’ journeys, but the scale of the work means the railway must be closed to trains for nine days.
Preparatory work will also take place on the weekends 5-6 and 12-13 February that will affect CrossCountry services.
During the work, journeys will take longer, rail-replacement bus services may run, and timetables will be different.
People intending to travel during the work should check http://www.nationalrail.co.uk or visit CrossCountry’s dedicated webpage for the disruption https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/travel-updates-information/water-orton-2022
The routes affected include services between:
- Birmingham New Street and Leicester, Peterborough, Cambridge, and Stansted Airport;
- Cardiff Central and Birmingham New Street to Nottingham;
- Scotland and the North East to Birmingham New Street and the South West;
- CrossCountry regional services linking the East Midlands and Anglia with Birmingham, which will start and finish at Coleshill Parkway.
- CrossCountry’s long-distance trains, will be diverted via alternative routes, but this will mean longer journey times.
Replacement buses will operate between Coleshill Parkway, Water Orton, and Birmingham New Street.
Patrick Cawley, director for ‘On Network Works’ for Network Rail and HS2, said: “We’re making great progress on HS2 and a key part of this is making sure it works in harmony with the existing railway.
“While this latest phase of work takes place I’d urge people to please check before they travel with CrossCountry or by using the National Rail Enquiries website or app, and I thank everyone in advance for their patience while we help build this railway for the future.”
Richard Morris, regional director East Midlands & East Anglia for CrossCountry, said: “We are working collaboratively with our industry colleagues at Network Rail, HS2 and West Midlands Trains on detailed alternative arrangements for our customers to ensure the disruption to their journeys is kept to a minimum. There will be extended journey times for everyone travelling on the affected routes, and on our regional services travel into and out of Birmingham New Street will involve transfer to and from a frequent rail replacement bus service at Coleshill Parkway.
“We are putting extra facilities and staffing in place to ensure passengers can interchange between trains and buses as smoothly as possible. I’d urge people to please check before they travel using the National Rail Enquiries website or app.”
Passengers who need extra help while travelling are advised to contact CrossCountry’s Passenger Assist team by calling 0800 030 9224 or emailing [email protected].
For further information please visit CrossCountry’s dedicated webpage https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/travel-updates-information/water-orton-2022.
Responses
I assume this will affect Cross City services also?