Next Sunday, 19th January, train services between Oxford and the West Midlands will be severely disrupted because of essential engineering work.

The disruption will affect Chiltern Railways, West Midlands Railway, and CrossCountry services between Bicester North/Banbury and Birmingham Moor Street and between Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Chiltern Railways and CrossCountry services will take longer than usual with bus replacement services in operation, whilst West Midlands Railway services between Stratford-upon-Avon, Dorridge, Whitlocks End, and Snow Hill will be replaced by rail replacement buses.

CrossCountry passengers travelling between travel on our route between Birmingham, Oxford, and Reading on Sunday should leave more time than usual for their journey.

The suspension of services is necessary for Network Rail teams to carry out drainage improvements, cut back vegetation, inspect and maintain tunnels, and carry out track maintenance to help keep the railway and journeys safe and reliable for passenger and freight services.

The engineering works are vital to ensure the track is in a fit state and to ensure better reliability in the future.

Anyone intending to travel on this route next Sunday should check www.nationalrail.co.uk for the latest travel information and advice.

In July, the line between Bicester and Leamington Spa was closed for five days during bridge replacement and track relaying works. Banbury station is currently undergoing major improvement works to make it easier to access the station for buses, taxis, pedestrians, and cyclists.

“I am sorry for the disruption caused while we complete this essential work. We know there is never a good time to close the railway but this work has been carefully planned to keep disruption to a minimum while delivering the most future benefits for passengers and freight. If you’re planning to travel, please plan ahead and check before you travel for the latest journey information and travel advice.”

Neil Gaskin, programme director for Network Rail Central route