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Monday 6 Mar 2017

Four level crossings between Wrexham and Chester to temporarily close for essential upgrade work

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Four level crossings will temporarily close this spring, while engineers work to deliver essential enhancements as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

Balderton and Broad Oak level crossings will temporarily close on Friday 10 March to Friday 24 March, and Green Lane and Pulford Level Crossings will temporarily close on Saturday 25 March to Friday 14 April.

The work will see the crossings benefit from safer, state-of-the-art obstacle detection systems, and new full barriers, as part of the final phase of the North/South Wales Enhancement project. Diversionary routes for road users will be in place throughout the closures.

Funded by Welsh Government, this major rail enhancement will deliver five miles of track redoubling between Wrexham and Chester. Once the project is commissioned this spring, the upgrade work will unlock the potential for more frequent services and shorter journey times between Cardiff and Holyhead, subject to additional fleet being made available and limited-stop services being specified in the future.

The improvements will also make the railway more resilient, with more reliable services for passengers and quicker recovery in the event of incidents on the network.

As part of the final phase of the North/South Wales Enhancement project, work will also be undertaken on the railway between Rossett Junction and Saltney Junction, which will affect rail users travelling between Wrexham and Chester and from North Wales to Chester.

Rail replacement bus services will be in operation as follows:

• 21.00 Friday 24 March to 23:35 Saturday 25 March  -  Chester to Rhyl
• 23:35 Saturday 25 March night to 03:55 Monday 27 March – Chester to Llandudno Junction
• 21.00 Friday 24 March to 05.10 Saturday 1 April – Chester to Wrexham

Francis McGarry, Route Delivery Director from Network Rail Wales said:

“We are pleased to be delivering the final phase of the North/South Wales Enhancement project, which will unlock the potential for faster and more frequent services between Holyhead and Cardiff.

“Although I understand temporary road and rail closures are not ideal, the essential upgrade work will make the level crossings safer for road users and pedestrians, and the railway more resilient.

“I would like to thank road and rail users for bearing with us whilst this improvement work takes place. We have been working closely with our partners Arriva Trains Wales and the affected local authorities to ensure passengers and road users are still able to get to where they need to be during this essential upgrade work.”

 

Notes to editors

Balderton and Broad Oak level crossings will temporarily close -

from: 23.59 on Friday 10 March

to: 23:59 on Friday 24 March

 

Green Lane and Pulford Level Crossings will temporarily close -

from: 00.01 on Saturday 25 March

to: 23:59 on Friday 14 April