Rail closures over Christmas on West Coast Main Line
Rail
travellers are being warned to avoid parts of the West Coast Main Line
over the Christmas period owing to engineering works.
The line will be shut between London Euston and Hemel
Hempstead in Hertfordshire after the last trains on Christmas Eve until
29th December.
It will also close between Stafford and Crewe after the last trains on Christmas Eve until Sunday 28th December.
The station will be partially closed while work involving a
£6.5bn programme of improvements to the north-south £6.5bn Thameslink
service is carried out.
On the roads, National Express is doubling the number of coaches it runs on Christmas Day and it is also running a reduced service on Boxing Day.
Jim Syddall, acting route managing director for Network Rail,
said: "There is never a good time to carry out this type of work and we
have liaised closely with the train operators to plan for it to take
place at a traditionally quieter time on the railway.
"We apologise for the inconvenience caused but the work is
essential to improve the network and maintain reliable services for the
millions of passengers who travel on the West Coast main line every
year."
Other expected rail disruptions include:- From Saturday 20th December to Sunday 4th January, Southern and Thameslink trains will not call at London Bridge
- On 27th and 28th December work taking place between Edge Hill in Liverpool and Earlestown in Merseyside is closing some lines in north-west England
- Buses will replace trains on Arriva Trains Wales services between Shrewsbury and Hereford from 27th December until 29th December
- Cross-London Thameslink Bedford to Brighton trains - to, from or though London Bridge - will not run again until 2018
- From Monday 22th December to Christmas Eve some Southeastern Charing Cross services will not call at London Bridge at peak morning times
- On the Paddington route, engineering work between Southall in west London and Slough in Berkshire, means some lines will be closed from 5pm on Christmas Eve until the end of Sunday 28th December
- Delays are also expected between Slough and Reading West and Tilehurst in Berkshire from Monday 29th December to Saturday 3rd January
- Buses will replace trains between Ascot in Berkshire and Aldershot in Hampshire between the weekend of 27th and 28th December
- From 27th December and 2nd January engineering work between St Albans in Hertfordshire and West Hampstead in north-west London will cause delays to services between Luton and Sutton in south-west London, and between Blackfriars station in London and Sevenoaks in Kent