Rail service disruption as track work begins
TRAIN services between two of Wales’ busiest stations will either be amended, have reduced services or not run at all over the next month.
There will be disruption at weekends and during the week until October 29 on Arriva Trains Wales, Cross Country and Great Western services.
There will be an amended service between Cardiff and Newport until the works are completed.
During the week, train times could change and platforms could change.
Some trains will be changed and not go further than Newport.
Over a number of weekends, buses will replace trains between Cardiff Central and Newport.
Network Rail says that the line between Newport and Bristol Parkway will be closed on weekends and buses will replace trains. Buses will replace trains between Cardiff Central and Newport until 1pm on October 1, October 8 and October 29.
There will also be replacement buses after 9pm on Saturday, October 14 and all day on October 15 and all day on October 22. Some bus services will be extended to Pye Corner for customers travelling to and from Ebbw Vale Town.
During the times that the line between Cardiff and Newport is also closed, the bus services will be extended to Cardiff Central.
Great Western Railway high speed services will not run past Newport and run non-stop via a diverted route to Swindon. A shuttle service will run between Swansea and Cardiff.
Services to and from Portsmouth Harbour and Taunton will start/terminate at Bristol Parkway, with buses running between Cardiff, Newport and Bristol Parkway.
The changes are due to work being carried out in Cardiff as part of Network Rail’s programme to lower the track in the area before overhead wires are installed. It is predicted the work will be complete by the end of 2018.
On October 28, the last weekend of works, Anthony Joshua will fight before a sell-out crowd in the Principality Stadium.
But rail bosses have warned railway upgrade work will mean fewer journeys on the South Wales mainline that day – while there will be no trains back to London or Bristol after the main fight is scheduled to finish.
The last direct service from Cardiff to London that night is 8.37pm.
Customers travelling at any of these times are advised to check before they travel with the National Rail Enquiries Journey Planner.
The works started over the weekend, when drivers also faced delays due to works on the Brynglas Tunnel. Work is due to finish in Spring 2018.
There was also disruption on the trains, with buses replacing rail services between Newport and Cardiff until 1pm on Sunday.