Thousands of train passengers face disruption over the festive period as Network Rail announces a series of engineering works on some of the UK's busiest lines. The Government-owned firm will invest more than £130 million in projects taking place around Christmas and New Year, affecting routes including London Waterloo, the Cambridge area, Leeds to York, and the West Coast Main Line.
Network Rail insists the period is the 'best time' for major projects due to lower passenger numbers, but warns that 'booking ahead is essential as some lines will be very busy'. From Christmas Day to January 5, no trains will run between Milton Keynes and Rugby for track junction replacement at Hanslope, Buckinghamshire. Services between Preston and Carlisle will be suspended from New Year's Eve to January 15 for bridge replacement over the M6.
Additional closures include no trains between Carlisle and Lockerbie from New Year's Day to January 7 for signalling work, and no services between Leeds and York from Christmas Day to January 2. London Waterloo will be shut from Christmas Day to December 28, with reduced timetables until January 4. In Scotland, services between Dalmuir and Balloch/Helensburgh Central and between Glasgow Queen Street and Crianlarich will be suspended from Christmas Eve to January 2.
Network Rail states that 95% of Britain's railways will be unaffected, but the entire network closes on Christmas Day, with most operators running no services on Boxing Day. Helen Hamlin, Network Rail's chief network operator, said: 'The period between Christmas and New Year is the quietest on the railway and it's the best time for us to do the major projects that will take longer than a night or a weekend to complete.'
Passengers are urged to check National Rail Enquiries and journey planners for updates. Daniel Mann of the Rail Delivery Group added: 'The industry is working hard to run as many services as possible, and we kindly remind our customers to treat our railway colleagues with respect during this busy time.'
