Media centre

Wednesday 12 Mar 2008

GREATER ANGLIA EASTER RAIL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

Rail improvements will be delivered across the country this Easter by Network Rail with 29km of track laid, new signalling and points, and the replacement of a 50m viaduct. This investment, totalling £75m, will lead to a more reliable, better performing railway, and a better service for passengers. In the Anglia region, work will continue on the £6m track replacement at Shenfield. Once completed, both residents living near the station and National Express customers travelling through will benefit. The new track design creates less noise as trains travel over them and requires less maintenance. This will reduce the need for future closures on this important junction for the Greater Anglia route where trains switch tracks to go to the Southend branch or continue on towards Norwich. Vital overhead line replacements are also taking place at London Liverpool Street, Bethnal Green and Cambridge to improve the reliability of the railway. Network Rail is working together with National Express East Anglia to advise passengers to check before they travel this Easter to see how their journey will be affected whilst this important work takes place. Information and advice on planning a journey is already available from National Rail Enquiries www.nationalrail.co.uk, the National Express website www.nationalexpress.com and at stations across the route. More details on the work being undertaken by Network Rail is available at www.networkrail.co.uk Iain Coucher, Network Rail Chief Executive said: "In just four days over Easter Network Rail will deliver 300,000 hours of improvement work across the country. Around 6,000 engineers will be working day and night to meet demands for a better railway from the travelling public.

"Following the New Year, we have listened to passengers and those who represent them and now our planning and preparation is more robust than ever. Each project is an immense engineering challenge in its own right, and Network Rail is absolutely determined to deliver a safe and reliable railway back to passengers and freight users at the promised time. "Because of the volume of work this Easter, we're advising people to double check their travel plans. We'll be working closely with the train operating companies and National Rail Enquiries to make sure that the very latest information is available." Andrew Chivers, Managing Director, National Express East Anglia said: “We have been working with Network Rail on the planning and preparation of the Easter improvement works programme, and the development of the alternative timetable arrangements. We will be doing everything we can to provide our customers with the best possible level of service whilst the works are undertaken.” Work will be taking place in various locations over the Easter period with alternative timetables in place affecting services on the Norwich / Ipswich / Colchester / Clacton to Liverpool Street, Cambridge / Stansted Airport to Liverpool Street, Southend Victoria / Shenfield to Liverpool Street, Ipswich to Cambridge / Peterborough, Norwich to Cambridge and the Enfield Town / Hertford East / Chingford to Liverpool Street routes. National Express East Anglia and Network Rail apologises for any inconvenience caused by these works and advise customers to check amended timetable information – in advance of travel - at stations and on the website at www.nationalexpresseastanglia.com or by calling National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50.