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Wednesday 17 Aug 2005

MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN RAILWAY OVER BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND

Region & Route:

| Southern

Network Rail is taking advantage of the final bank holiday weekend of the year to carry out a full programme of essential engineering work across the East of England.  The August bank holiday is is the latest of several holiday weekends which have seen major investment in the region’s railway. Jon Wiseman, Network Rail Route Director said: “Network Rail is committed to rebuilding the railway and we traditionally take full advantage of bank holiday weekends when fewer people tend to use the trains.  While many people will make the most of the long weekend to spend time with friends and family, hundreds of railway men and women will be out on the tracks, working flat out to improve the reliability of the region’s railway.” One of the biggest engineering tasks over the August bank holiday will be an £800,000 project to improve the reliability of the railway branch line between Clapton and Chingford, used by many passengers travelling to and from London Liverpool Street station.  Engineers will work for more than 50 hours to replace around 1,000 yards (915 metres) of track and 1,500 sleepers.   In addition, more than 1,000 yards of track will be replaced on the cross-country route between Bury St Edmunds and Ely.  The investment of £610,000 will improve the performance and reliability of the busy line for passengers travelling between Liverpool Street and Peterborough via Ipswich. Further improvements include: ·         North London Line: essential track improvements between Stratford and North Woolwich, including the renewal of life-expired sleepers through the Silvertown tunnel (27-29 August) ·         East Coast Main Line: replacement of overhead line equipment between Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City (6pm on Saturday 27 August to 8am on Monday 29 August) ·         West Coast Main Line: essential maintenance work to track equipment between Harrow & Wealdstone and Watford Junction (28 August only) ·         c2c line: track improvement work between Barking and Grays via Rainham (28-29 August) Jon Wiseman continued: “Large scale engineering work is essential to the future of the railway in the East of England.  There are currently unprecedented levels of investment being ploughed into the railway in this part of the country, improving track reliability and ultimately train performance for passengers.” These major engineering projects have been programmed around the August bank holiday weekend to minimise disruption to commuters and other passengers travelling at peak times.  Half as many people use trains over the holiday periods compared to normal travel times, on average. The work has been planned in close consultation with train operating companies to ensure passengers can complete their journeys using alternative travel arrangements. Alternative travel arrangements ·         Clapton to Chingford (Chingford branch line) -  Saturday 27 to Monday 29 August Buses will replace ‘one’ train services between London Liverpool Street and Chingford.  Train services will continue to operate on the West Anglia main line from Liverpool Street to Cambridge and Stansted airport, diverted via an alternative route.  Train services on the Great Eastern main line from Liverpool Street to Norwich are not affected. ·         Bury St Edmonds to Ely (cross-country route) -  3pm, Sat 27 August to Monday 29 August Buses will replace ‘one’ train services from Bury St Edmunds to Ely and Cambridge. ·         North London Line – Saturday 27 to Monday 29 August Silverlink train services will not operate between Stratford and North Woolwich.  Passengers are advised that their tickets will be valid on local bus services and the Docklands Light Railway for connections to West Ham, Canning Town, Silvertown and North Woolwich. ·         East Coast Main Line - 6pm, Saturday 27 August to 8am, Monday 29 August Buses replace WAGN trains from Stevenage to Welwyn Garden City and Hertford North. ·         West Coast Main line - Sunday 28 August only Buses will replace Silverlink County trains from Harrow & Wealdstone to Watford Junction. ·         c2c line – Sunday 28 to Monday 29 August Buses will replace c2c trains between Barking and Grays. For further travel advice, passengers are advised to consult individual train operators or National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 or www.nationalrail.co.uk.