Media centre

Tuesday 21 Aug 2018

Euston closure: DO NOT TRAVEL on West Coast main line this bank holiday weekend

Region & Route:

| North West & Central

• London Euston station shut 25-27 August + 1-2 September
• To allow Network Rail to replace North Wembley junction 
• Train customers advised to travel on other days

West Coast main line train passengers are being urged not to travel to and from London this weekend and next when Euston station will be closed.

Customers are instead being advised to plan their journeys on dates other than 25-27 August and 1-2 September – or risk far longer, busier and less comfortable journeys than normal.

As part of Britain’s Railway Upgrade Plan, Network Rail is replacing North Wembley junction - a major intersection on Europe’s busiest mixed-use railway.

The junction is old and replacing it will mean passenger and freight users will benefit from better, more reliable journeys in future. Unfortunately doing this vital job requires shutting the line. The least disruptive time to do this work, jointly agreed by rail industry partners, is over the following weekends:

• 25-27 August (bank holiday weekend) • 1-2 September

Train passengers are advised to plan their journeys in advance at www.nationalrail.co.uk/westcoast and using information on their train operators’ websites.

Customers are asked not to travel this bank holiday weekend.

If customers must travel, they’re advised to expect a very different journey to normal – busier trains, longer, diverted routes and train timetable changes.

Martin Frobisher, route managing director for Network Rail’s London North Western route said: “Our message to West Coast train customers this August bank holiday (25-27 August) and on 1-2 September is: ‘Do not travel'. Instead please plan your journeys on other days.

“If you absolutely cannot avoid travel on these dates, expect a very different journey to what you’re used to – busier trains, less chance of a seat, diverted routes taking far longer than usual.

“There is never an ideal time to shut the railway but these weekends are the least disruptive times to do it.

“We have worked together for the past three years with train operators to carefully plan this closure of the railway in a way that minimises impact on customers.

“It’s vital the track at north Wembley is replaced to continue to safely meet the huge demand of passenger and freight rail services on the West Coast main line. This work will result in better, more reliable journeys in future.”

Peter Broadley, executive director for customer, operations and safety at Virgin Trains on the west coast, said: “With no services into or out of Euston we strongly advise our customers to avoid travelling to London on the days affected. We know this will impact on people’s travel plans, particularly over a bank holiday weekend so we encourage customers to plan ahead and where possible travel at other times.”

Andrew Conroy, customer experience director for London Northwestern Railway said: “Our aim is to keep people moving if they have to travel on these dates. Improvement works are never convenient for anyone, but we have a tried and tested plan for operating buses to connect with alternative routes to and from London when Euston is closed. We still advise customers to travel on alternative days as these options will take significantly longer.”

The first stage of the work was completed last weekend and the West Coast main line fully reopened on Monday (20 August) on time, as planned, with services running to a normal timetable.

Euston’s shops and access to London Underground will remain available throughout the three weekends.

All customers are urged to check www.nationalrail.co.uk/westcoast for the very latest travel information.