Wednesday 4 Oct 2023
Network Rail urges residents to sign up for email alerts on work across the Wales and Borders route
- Region & Route:
- Wales & Western: Wales & Borders
- | Wales & Western
A new digital system to let communities know about work taking place on the railway near their homes has been launched across Network Rail’s Wales and Borders route.
Residents and businesses can register online to receive email updates by simply visiting Network Rail’s website at networkrail.co.uk/sign-up.
The newsletters will contain all the latest information, including videos and photos, about upgrades and essential work on the railway – from track renewals to station enhancements.
Network Rail’s Wales and Western region is the first on the rail network to offer the service, which has proved popular during trials with residents.
Currently, properties close to the railway receive letters by post to notify them of work but Network Rail hopes switching to digital bulletins will provide a faster, more cost effective and up-to-date service.
Residents who sign up will be sent information about work close by and the new system will also allow anyone with an interest in the railway to sign up for news on major projects across the Wales and Borders route. These include the restoration of the historic Barmouth viaduct, the transformation of the Ebbw vale line, resilience work on the Severn Estuary and new accessible footbridges at stations across the route.
A QR code (a type of two-dimensional, square barcode) is included in current notification letters and on the Western route’s social media channels to help people sign up easily and quickly.
Network Rail’s head of communications for the Wales and Western region Richard Griffiths said: “Offering a digital alternative to the thousands of letters we send out every year is a step-change in how we engage with our communities and keep people updated about our railway works. If you live near the railway, I encourage you to sign up so that they know what to expect when our teams are working close by.
“Our newsletters will have all the information you need, including dates, shift times, expected noise levels, and advice on related road or footpath closures and planned disruption to train services.
“Switching to digital is not only environmentally friendly and more cost effective, it means we can communicate quickly so we can keep our neighbours in the picture about last-minute changes or emergency work that may affect them, too.
“Those residents who choose not to sign up will continue to receive updates in the post, so people without access to the internet or who prefer letters will not miss out.”
The new system is due to be rolled out across the country over the next six to 12 months, so residents in some areas may still receive postal notifications until it is fully up and running.
Contact information
Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41
Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries
Journalists
Network Rail press office - Claire McGine
Communications Manager
07734 647240
Claire.Mcgine@networkrail.co.uk
About Network Rail
We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.
Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.
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