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Wednesday 17 Jun 2020

Major improvement work to be rolled out across Anglia's rail network

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

Network Rail has announced a huge package of improvement work across the region’s rail network today (Tuesday 16 June) to improve reliability of train services for passengers.

The work will take place on regional and main lines and will focus on improving the number of trains on time and reducing delays because of problems such as signal failures, track and overhead wires faults.

Over the next six months, Network Rail’s engineers will carry out the following pieces of work as part of the improvement package:

• Track renewal and resignalling work on the Clacton on Sea branch line to improve reliability throughout Autumn this year
• Renew track near Elmswell on the Ipswich to Bury St Edmunds line from July to September to maintain safety and improve reliability
• Renew track at Colchester and Needham Market on the Norwich to London mainline in the Autumn to maintain safety and improve reliability
• Renew track at Somerleyton to maintain safety and improve reliability
• Replace the overhead wires at Stratford to improve reliability, especially in hot weather. This work will take place at Christmas
• Transport for London (TfL) works to lengthen platforms 16 and 17 at Liverpool Street will begin over the Christmas period to make more platforms available for the new, longer Elizabeth line trains
• Network Rail works for the Crossrail programme will continue with station upgrades taking place at Ilford and Romford this autumn. Details on any further line closures will be shared as soon as the plan is finalised.

 

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “I know passengers want to see improvements to the rail network in Anglia, and we’ve planned in a package of work to do just that. We have tried to minimise the impact on journeys by grouping projects together where we can but this amount of work simply cannot be carried out without some closures.

“I also know that passengers like to know about how their journeys are going to be affected in good time, and that’s why we’ve announced this package of works scheduled for the next six months, which should help people to plan ahead more easily. While the government advice is still to only use public transport if absolutely necessary, I hope this information will be crucial as and when restrictions are lifted.”

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: “It is important that Network Rail carries out this work to make our railway more reliable. We will make sure that passengers can always complete their journeys, even if part of it is by rail replacement bus.

“We will keep passengers updated about alternative travel arrangements through our website and the Greater Anglia app.

“We would remind customers to wear face coverings if they have to travel on all forms of public transport including our trains and rail replacement buses."

Howard Smith, TfL Rail Operations Director, said: “Starting work to extend the platforms at Liverpool Street over Christmas will allow us to introduce the longer, nine-carriage new trains for passengers between Liverpool Street and Shenfield next year. Along with the progress being made at Ilford and Romford stations by Network Rail, customers using this section of the route will see some real benefits.”

There will be rail replacement buses and changes to timetables while this work takes place. Passengers are currently asked to only use public transport if absolutely necessary but information will be available from train operators as and when restrictions are lifted on travelling. Passengers are also reminded that in line with new Government guidance, face coverings must be worn for the full duration of journeys on the public transport network.

Travel information

Current information is below. These are subject to change and passengers are advised to check with their train operator for the latest information.

Line affected	Weekend Dates	Travel Information
Ipswich to Ely / Cambridge via Bury St Edmunds	Saturday 18 to Sunday 19 July	Bus replacement between Stowmarket and Ely, and Stowmarket and Cambridge North
	Saturday 25 to Sunday 26 July	Bus replacement between Bury St Edmunds and Ely, and Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge North Sat and between Stowmarket and Ely, and Stowmarket and Cambridge North
	Saturday 1 to Sunday 2 August	Bus replacement between Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds
	Sunday 9 August
	Sunday 16 August	Bus replacement between Ipswich and Ely, and Ipswich and Cambridge North
	Sunday 23 August	Bus replacement between Bury St Edmunds and Ely/ Cambridge North
	Sunday 30 August	Bus replacement between Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds
	Saturday 5 to Sunday 6 September
	Saturday 12 to Sunday 13 September	Bus replacement between Ipswich and Stowmarket all day Sat. Bus replacement between Ipswich and Norwich/ Bury St Edmunds all day Sun
	Saturday 19 to Sunday 20 September	Bus between Ipswich and Norwich/ Bury St Edmunds all weekend
	Saturday 26 to Sunday 27 September
	Sunday 4 October
Line affected	Weekend Dates	Travel Information
Norwich to London (Ipswich to Needham Market)	Sunday 30 August	Bus between Ipswich and Norwich/ Bury St Edmunds
	Saturday 5 to Sunday 6 September
	Saturday 12 to Sunday 13 September	Saturday: Bus replacement between Ipswich and Stowmarket all day. Sunday: Bus replacement between Ipswich and Norwich/ Bury St Edmunds all day Sun
	Saturday 19 to Sunday 20 September	Bus between Ipswich and Norwich/ Bury St Edmunds all weekend
	Saturday 26 to Sunday 27 September
	Sunday 4 October
Line affected	Weekend Dates	Travel Information
Clacton-on-Sea	Saturday 12 to Sunday 13 September	Bus replacement between Clacton-on-Sea and Thorpe-le-Soken
	Saturday 19 to Sunday 20 September
	Saturday 26 to Sunday 27 September
	Saturday 3 to Sunday 4 October	Bus replacement between Clacton-on-Sea and Colchester, and between Walton-on-the-Naze and Thorpe-le-Soken
	Saturday 10 to Sunday 11 October
	Sunday 18 October
	Sunday 25 October
Line affected	Weekend Dates	Travel Information
Norwich to London via Colchester, Kelvedon, Ipswich	Saturday 17 to Sunday 18 October	Bus replacement between Ipswich and Witham
	Saturday 24 to Sunday 25 October	Bus replacement between Ipswich and Marks Tey
	Saturday 14 to Sunday 15 November	Bus between Ipswich and Marks Tey
	Saturday 21 to Sunday 22 November
Line affected	Weekend Dates	Travel Information
Somerleyton	Saturday 14 to Sunday 15 November	Bus between Saxmundham/ Halesworth and Lowestoft
	Saturday 21 to Sunday 22 November
	Saturday 28 to Sunday 29 November
At Christmas, works are being planned on the main line from Sunday 27 December to Sunday 3 January 2021 between Norwich and London Liverpool Street which will require bus replacement services to be in place. Travel information will be available later in the year.