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Wednesday 8 Jul 2026

North West travel update ahead of vital track renewals

Region & Route:

North West & Central

Passengers travelling between Southport and Wigan have been warned to plan ahead during upcoming engineering works.

Teams from Network Rail will be replacing ageing track near Parbold from Monday 27 until Friday 31 July.

This means no trains will run between Southport and Wigan Wallgate during this period. Replacement buses will be available between the two destinations.

Trains between Manchester and Southport will terminate at Wigan.

This vital engineering work involves teams replacing sections of track, as well as sleepers and ballast. Once completed, this will lead to better ride quality and a reduction in delays and speed restrictions in the area.

Derek Davies, project manager for Network Rail, said: "Our teams will be replacing nearly a kilometre of track, sleepers and the ‘formation’ below the railway, as the current track is nearing the end of its life. Once renewed the track will benefit from improved drainage and offer a more resilient, smoother, and more reliable railway.

"We know there is never an ideal time to close the railway and we are using this closure to complete multiple pieces of work, avoiding the need for two or three weekends of disruption. The work has been planned into the school holiday period when passenger demand is lower. We would like to thank passengers for their patience during the closure."

Stuart Taylor, Northern's director of service delivery in Greater Manchester, said: “We’re advising customers to check before they travel and allow extra time for their journeys while this essential engineering work is being carried out.

“There will be no trains between Southport and Wigan Wallgate, but we will be running rail replacement buses to get customers where they need to go and their tickets will be accepted on alternative routes.”

 Passengers are advised to plan their journeys in advance by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk.