Media centre

Tuesday 19 Nov 2002

NETWORK RAIL’S COMMITMENT TO TRACK IMPROVEMENTS IN CORNWALL

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Network Rail has a series of track maintenance and engineering works scheduled for Cornwall over the next few weekends as part of its ongoing programme to upgrade and enhance the county’s rail network.   Some of this work will affect weekend train services. Engineering work will take place on several miles of railway track between Liskeard and Par over the weekends of 23/24 November, 30November/1 December and 7/8 December. This will include sleeper replacement, track relaying and the renewal of points at a number of locations.  One of the key locations is the single line section of the railway at St Pinnock and, as a result, the line between Liskeard and Par will be closed.  Rail services to and from Cornwall after 1800 on Saturday and all day on Sunday from 23 November to 8 December will start and terminate at Liskeard.  There will be replacement coach services from Plymouth for St Austell and all stations to Penzance and coaches from Liskeard for Bodmin Parkway and stations to Par.  There will be a special train shuttle between St Austell and Penzance.  Passengers can ring National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 for details of these services. -more-                                                                                                 Track improvements - 2 Network Rail Great Western Zone Director, John Curley, said:   “This engineering work is an important part of our commitment to providing a safe and reliable rail network.  It will deliver real improvements to our infrastructure in Cornwall. “We would, however, like to apologise for the disruption to passengers that the work will cause and we will do our utmost to ensure that it is kept to a minimum.  The train operators have also done all they can to make customers’ journeys easier, arranging coaches, offering extra staff assistance and providing full information about the amended timetable.”