Friday 24 Mar 2023

Leicestershire road closure due to Midland Mainline electrification

Region & Route:
Eastern

Wistow Road in Newton Harcourt is closing today (24 March 2023) from the junction with Kibworth Road. People are being asked to follow the signposted diversions for Station Road. 

Network Rail is electrifying the Midland Main Line from Kettering to Wigston. All of this work will help to create a cleaner, greener electrified railway for passengers travelling along this section of the Midland Main Line in the future.

Today's road closure, which lasts until December, is linked to work by Network Rail to raise a bridge in Great Glen, Newton Harcourt. Reconstructing the bridge – which allows cars to travel over the railway via Station Road – and raising it by just over half a metre will provide enough room for the overhead line equipment needed to power electric and hybrid trains to eventually pass underneath the bridge.

Gavin Crook, Principal Programme Sponsor, said:

“We have planned the work to cause the least amount of disruption to residents and rail passengers and are working together with Leicestershire County Council.

"We will continue to keep you updated and we thank you for your patience while we carry out this essential work."

Further information is available at www.networkrail.co.uk/mml and for information about road closures visit one.network

Ends

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

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Media Relations Manager
Network Rail
lauren.summers@networkrail.co.uk

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Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

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