Media centre

Monday 11 May 2026

MAY HALF-TERM: Vital upgrades continue on the Portsmouth Direct Line

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

Network Rail and South Western Railway (SWR) are continuing their investment in the Portsmouth Direct Line with the next phase of signalling and track upgrades taking place from Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May.

While this work takes place buses will replace trains between Havant, Fareham and Portsmouth Harbour.

Havant resignalling programme

Work to upgrade signalling in the Havant and Portsmouth area began in March 2026, replacing ageing equipment that is increasingly unreliable. Over the past year, signalling failures have caused more than 18,500 minutes of delays on the line.

The Havant resignalling programme will see an additional £120 million invested in the Portsmouth Direct Line. When completed in 2028, signalling will transfer from the Havant Area Signalling Centre to the Basingstoke Rail Operating Centre. This will improve communication between Network Rail and South Western Railway teams to better manage the railway and respond more quickly to incidents.

Building on the work delivered during the Easter closure, engineers will use the May half-term period to continue the next stage of the Havant resignalling programme. During this closure, teams will begin preparatory work for the re-signalling programme, including laying materials and carrying out vegetation management to support the upgrade. Engineers will return in October 2026 and February 2027 to continue their work.

Other work taking place during the closure

During the five-day closure, engineers will carry out a range of additional improvements, including:

• Renewing 18 wheel timbers – the long blocks that support the track on Portcreek viaduct. The new timbers are made from fibre-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU), offering a lifespan of up to 50 years, improved durability and reduced maintenance.
• Strengthening two bridges between Fratton and Portsmouth Harbour.
• Cleaning the glass on the high-level platforms at Portsmouth & Southsea station.
• Renewing three sets of switches and crossings in the Fratton area.
• Refurbishing the footbridge at Fratton station.

In total, engineers will carry out around 1,660 hours of work during the closure. When complete, passengers will benefit from smoother, more reliable journeys.

Changes to train services

During the works, train services will change as follows:

SWR trains to and from Portsmouth Harbour will start or end at Havant or Fareham.

Southern trains to and from Portsmouth Harbour will start or end at Havant. Services to Portsmouth & Southsea will go to Bognor Regis instead. Southern trains between Brighton and Southampton will run as normal.

Great Western Railway trains to and from Portsmouth Harbour will start or end at Fareham.

Replacement buses will run as follows:

• Five buses per hour between Havant and Portsmouth Harbour, calling at Bedhampton, Hilsea, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea
• Two buses per hour between Fareham and Portsmouth Harbour, calling at Portchester, Cosham, Hilsea, Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea

Network Rail and South Western Railway have worked together to plan the works, coordinate replacement services and give passengers clear information so they can plan ahead during the May half-term closure.

Tom McNamee, Infrastructure Director, speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway, said: “This May, we are continuing to modernise signalling on the Portsmouth Direct Line, replacing ageing equipment in the Havant area that is increasingly prone to failure and can cause delays for passengers.

“We’re also renewing key components on Portcreek viaduct, where ageing wheel timbers need to be replaced to prevent further unplanned closures.

“We know this work means changes to journeys and we’re sorry for the inconvenience. Network Rail and South Western Railway have worked closely to plan the works and replacement services, helping passengers continue to complete their journeys while we deliver these upgrades.”

Notes to editor

More information about the Portsmouth Direct Line upgrade, including the £129million Farncombe to Petersfield resignalling programme that was completed last year, is available at: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/our-work/our-routes/wessex/portsmouth-direct-upgrade/