Media centre

Tuesday 25 May 2021

‘Look before you book’ late May bank holiday travel advice

Region & Route:

North West & Central

• Railway improvements between London, the West Midlands, North West and Scotland are taking place between 29-31 May
• Future passenger and freight journeys will benefit from £14.5m investment
• Passengers advised to ‘look before they book’ and travel at quieter times

Network Rail is advising passengers planning rail travel over the late May bank holiday to ‘look before they book’ ahead of major railway upgrades taking place between 29-31 May.

Work on the West Coast main line from London to Scotland, and key routes in the West Midlands and North West, will improve future journeys for passengers and freight.

While much of the network in the North West and Central region will be unaffected, some routes will be impacted by the upgrades.

These include:

• Railway track replacement at Worcester, Halton in Cheshire, Harrow and Wealdstone and Cheddington in Buckinghamshire
• Signalling upgrades on the West Coast main line at Carstairs in Scotland and at Trafford Park in Manchester
• Track foundation stone upgrades in Crewe and Carlisle

Tim Shoveller, managing director of Network Rail’s North West and Central region, said: “The essential improvements taking place over the late May bank holiday will build on the great progress already made this year to improve the railway as passengers return in greater numbers.

“While this will not be as disruptive as previous bank holidays, some journeys may still see bus replacement services in operation. I’d urge people to check National Rail Enquiries in advance of 29-31 May so they know exactly what to expect from their journey.”

There’ll be no direct services between London Euston and Liverpool or between London Euston and Scotland.

The West Coast main line could also be busier from Midland main line and CrossCountry passengers choosing alternative routes as the railway is closed between St Pancras and Luton.

Passengers on affected routes will need to change trains, will have longer journeys, fewer available seats, and will need to use rail replacement buses.

Those needing to travel during the railway improvements should plan ahead by visiting: www.nationalrail.co.uk/westcoast.

People should continue to follow Government guidance around the use of public transport.

Passengers can also find out how their journeys will be affected with their train operator, or by following #MayBHWorks on Twitter.