Media centre

Thursday 26 May 2005

MEDIA INVITATION: EXCLUSIVE SITE VISIT ON FINAL WEEKEND OF TRACK WORK

Region & Route:

| Southern

Date:                           Monday 30 May 2005 Time:                          9am Location:                    Chelmsford station (Duke Street, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1HT) Event:                         Site visit to see completion of £12m track renewals project Media contact:          Please confirm attendance with Laura Dobson on 020 7557 8103 A major programme of engineering work on the main line into London Liverpool Street has been carried out every weekend since September last year – with enough new track installed between Shenfield and Chelmsford to go up Ben Nevis and back five times.  The £12 million project will improve the reliability of this crucial commuter route for many years to come, reducing the likelihood of track faults and improving the train service for passengers.  The work will reach substantial completion over the Spring bank holiday weekend, which is good news for passengers with the end of weekend replacement bus services.  But how many people will appreciate the reasons behind the work and the benefits that it will bring? For the opportunity to find out more, media are invited to visit the final work site on Bank Holiday Monday, where new track is being installed over the Chelmsford viaduct.  Jon Wiseman, Network Rail’s Route Director, will be on hand to explain the challenges of this major project, Network Rail’s commitment to improving the region’s railway and just why hundreds of workers are prepared to give up their bank holidays to get the work done.