Media centre

Monday 22 Jan 2007

NETWORK RAIL DOUBLES ITS EFFORTS ON MAINTENANCE INVESTMENT

Region & Route:

| Southern

Passengers on the London to Norwich line are to benefit from smoother and more reliable journeys following points replacement work by Network Rail. The company took advantage of maintenance work already taking place last weekend to bring forward work to replace points machines at Haughley Junction (north of Stowmarket). This 'doubling up of work' ensures that any time blocked out for regular maintenance work is used as efficiently as possible and minimises disruption to passengers. As part of ongoing investment on the Anglia route, Network Rail replaced points machines that were reaching the end of their natural life and upgraded rollers under track switches to reduce friction. This will increase reliability on the route. Route Director, Patrick Hallgate said: "By working efficiently, doing extra work alongside this regular maintenance, we are eliminating future disruption that would have been caused by a separate points replacement. And, as all the work was done at night, train services were not affected. This work will deliver smoother and more reliable journeys for passengers travelling between London and Norwich." Andrew Goodrum, Business Director Mainline for 'one' railway said:
"We welcome the ongoing investment by Network Rail in the Norwich to London mainline. Haughley is a key junction for both our London mainline and regional services to Cambridge and Peterborough - by regularly upgrading and replacing infrastructure at busy junctions such as Haughley we can help to ensure that passengers receive a more reliable and consistent level of service.

"Through initiatives such as this, the team at 'one' is working closely with Network Rail to further improve train service performance across the 'one' railway network."