Media centre

Monday 6 Nov 2006

MAJOR RAIL INVESTMENT CONTINUES IN THE WEST COUNTRY

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Passengers using the railway between Highbridge & Burnham and Taunton are set to benefit from a £750 million investment by Network Rail, which will improve train performance and reliability across the Western Route. Network Rail will renew miles of track between Highbridge & Burnham and Bridgwater as part of an extensive renewals programme to improve train services between London Paddington and the West Country.  This important work will require the closure of the line between Highbridge & Burnham and Taunton from Monday 20 November to Friday 8 December. Robbie Burns, Network Rail’s Western Route Director, said: “A large percentage of the rail track between London Paddington and the West Country dates from the 1960s and 1970s – this must be renewed if we are to deliver the best possible service for passengers.  “We know that disruption is always unwelcome, but this huge investment will improve the performance of the railway in the area and bring benefits to passengers across the West Country for years to come.” Network Rail has worked closely with train operators First Great Western and Virgin CrossCountry to put in place an amended timetable designed to keep disruption to a minimum.  First Great Western local train services will be replaced by bus services between Weston-super-Mare and Taunton for the duration of the works, also serving Highbridge & Burnham Station and Bridgwater Station.  Rail passengers travelling between Taunton and Bristol are advised to use Virgin CrossCountry train services, which will be diverted via Westbury and Bath Spa. Andrew Griffiths, First Great Western’s Regional Manager, said: “We welcome this major engineering project because it will improve the performance and reliability of the railway in the future.  “We know that our customers need plenty of advance information about service disruption of this sort and we will publicise this work through station posters, our website, e-mail bulletins and the media.  Full details of the revised train times will be available from National Rail Enquiries or our own web site and we will publish our usual fully comprehensive timetable booklet, available from stations.” Chris Gibb, Virgin CrossCountry’s Managing Director, said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Network Rail on this major engineering investment scheme from which our customers will benefit significantly.  We shall be working hard to ensure that they encounter the least possible disruption during the course of the work, but extended journey times are regrettably unavoidable." Customers are advised to always check journey details before travelling by contacting National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950 or by checking the website www.nationalrail.co.uk.