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Tuesday 16 Dec 2014

Passengers advised to plan ahead as Network Rail carries out vital work over Christmas

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Passengers are being urged to check for changes to their journey if they are planning to travel between Hereford and Shrewsbury stations over Christmas. This section of the line is being closed for improvement works as Network Rail invests in the railway to deliver better services.

The railway will be closed between Hereford and Shrewsbury after the last trains from Christmas Eve Wednesday 24 December (21:15hrs) until Monday 29 December (17:35 hrs). This closure will affect services between South Wales and Holyhead / Manchester.

The closure will allow essential improvement work to be carried out on a railway bridge near Ludlow on the line which connects North and South Wales. The £7.7m project will remove a speed restriction for passenger and freight trains to allow for faster services in the future.

Network Rail and Arriva Trains Wales are advising passengers that a rail replacement bus service will be in operation between Hereford and Shrewsbury stations.

Graeme Tandy, route delivery director for Network Rail Wales, said: “There is never a good time to close the railway but passenger numbers are much lower over the Christmas period with around half the number of journeys made each day.

“We apologise for any inconvenience our work causes, but we have worked closely with Arriva Trains Wales to ensure this upgrade takes place at a traditionally quieter time.

“The work is part of our strategy to provide a modern, bigger and better railway by improving the network and maintaining reliable services for passengers.”

Network Rail will continue to act in partnership with Arriva Trains Wales to provide passengers with information ahead of the work and as the work is carried out to minimise disruption as much as possible.

Lynne Milligan, customer services director at Arriva Trains Wales, says: “We are advising customers to check their journey plans before they travel on this part of the line over the festive season and advise them to allow longer time for their journey”.

Rail replacement bus services will be running between Hereford and Shrewsbury calling at Leominster, Ludlow, Craven Arms, and Church Stretton. We regret that dogs (except guide dogs), cycles, prams and large items of luggage cannot be carried on replacement bus services.

For further information, please refer to www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk and rail replacement bus timetable posters at stations.