Media centre

Monday 18 Aug 2003

ENGINEERING WORK – ESSENTIAL FOR THE FUTURE OF EAST ANGLIA’S RAILWAYS

Region & Route:

| Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

| Southern

            Network Rail is tasked with turning around years of under investment and rebuilding the railway.  We are investing millions of pounds into maintaining and renewing the railway in East Anglia.  We want our customers, the train and freight operating companies, and passengers to see these benefits in safe and reliable journeys. In order to deliver these improvements, we need to be able to get on to the track.  Holiday periods are the best time to schedule work, it will unfortunately inconvenience some – but it is by far the quietest time on the network.  Network Rail has been working on the route from Liverpool Street to Stansted airport since 1999.  We are investing £184m in to this line, but once again, we need to get on the track to undertake the work.  In liaison with Stansted Express it was agreed to replace Sunday (and bank holiday Monday) services from late 2002 to Spring 2004 with a direct coach service.  Quality passenger information is making this transition as smooth as possible.  We understand passengers’ frustration with changes to their services, but we hope they understand our position: we want to rebuild the network and we can only do this by getting access to the tracks.