Engineering work means New Street disruption
NEW Street train passengers are being warned to expect disruption to their journeys next month with major engineering work.
Alterations to track and lineside drainage, which are part of improvements to the network, including preparing for HS2, are due to take place over nine days.
Work is planned at Water Orton, in North Warwickshire, and Duddeston, in Birmingham, between February 19 and 27.
Network Rail said every effort was being made to reduce the impact on passengers’ journeys, but the scale of the work meant the line must be closed to trains over the nine days.
CrossCountry services will be affected, including services between Birmingham New Street and Leicester, Peterborough, Cambridge, Stansted Airport, Cardiff Central and Nottingham.
Passengers are being advised that journeys will take longer, could involve rail replacement bus services and that timetables will be different.
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: “There will be extended journey times for everyone travelling on the affected routes, and our regional services 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.”
CrossCountry’s long distance trains will be diverted around the work, but this will mean longer journey times. Replacement buses will operate between Coleshill Parkway, Water Orton and Birmingham New Street.