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Wednesday 30 Mar 2016

Passengers reminded to check before they travel as railway electrification work between Bristol and Bath approaches

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Passengers travelling between Bristol and Bath from 2 to 11 April are being advised to check before they travel as Network Rail carries out work to prepare the Great Western Main Line for the arrival of a new fleet of longer, faster, quieter and greener electric trains.

The work forms part of the company’s £40bn Railway Upgrade Plan to provide a bigger, better, more reliable railway for passengers and will involve the orange army working round-the-clock to deliver the railway upgrades needed for electrification. This work follows the successful track lowering project in Bath last summer and will involve:

• Lowering the tracks at Keynsham station to protect the historic architecture of its footbridge, while creating the extra space needed for the overhead electric lines that will power the new fleet of electric trains to run underneath.
• Platform modifications at Keynsham station following the lowering of the tracks.
• Replacing the tracks at Oldfield Park station to provide greater reliability for passengers.
• Installing the foundations for the overhead electric lines.

The nature of this improvement work means a temporary closure of the line between Oldfield Park and Keynsham stations is unavoidable. To minimise disruption to passengers, this temporary closure has been timed to coincide with the Easter school holidays, when fewer people use the railway.

Working with train operator Great Western Railway (GWR), an extensive communication programme has also taken place to ensure passengers can make informed travel choices during the nine days.

Andy Haynes, Network Rail’s project director for the west of England, said: “While every effort has been made to minimise disruption for passengers and our neighbours, I’d like to thank the public in advance for their patience and understanding while we carry out this essential electrification work.

“Once completed, the residents of Bristol and Bath will be a step closer to the benefits that electrification will bring. These include faster trains with more seats and more legroom, and less noise and cleaner air for those who live close to the railway line.

“In addition, faster journeys and the ability to move more people by train will also benefit businesses in the area, helping to drive economic growth across the south west.”

Mark Hopwood, GWR’s managing director, said: “The Great Western network is already seeing the biggest investment since Brunel, and these improvement works will in time allow passengers to take advantage of the full benefits of electrification; providing newer trains, faster, more frequent services and importantly, given the growth this network has seen in recent years, more seats.”

The electrification preparation work will begin on Saturday 2 April once the last train has run and will continue until the early hours of Monday 11 April.

During the temporary closure, Keynsham and Oldfield Park stations will be closed to passengers and a rail replacement bus service will be in operation. Both Bath Spa station and Bristol Temple Meads station will remain open throughout.

Passengers are advised to check before they travel through National Rail Enquiries or train operator, GWR.

ENDS

Notes to editors

The work will involve:

• Over 500 members of the orange army working 24 hours a day.
• The installation of 10,000 tons of ballast (the stones under the track).
• The removal of 12,000 tons of waste material.
• The installation of 1,500 new railway sleepers.
• The use of seven engineering trains.

About Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan

The Railway Upgrade Plan is Network Rail’s £40bn spending plan for Britain’s railways for the five year period up to 31 March 2019. The plan is designed to provide more capacity, relieve crowding and respond to tremendous growth the railways have seen – a doubling of passengers in the past twenty years. The plan will deliver a bigger, better railway with more trains, longer trains, faster trains with more infrastructure, more reliable infrastructure and better facilities for passengers, especially at stations.

About the Great Western Electrification Programme

Electrification will transform the railway between London and Oxford, Newbury, Bristol and Cardiff to deliver a faster, greener, quieter and more reliable railway for passengers, with extra capacity. Electrifying this part of the Great Western route will enhance 235 miles of one of Britain’s busiest and oldest railways, better connecting major towns and cities across southern England and South Wales. This investment, as well as the introduction of a fleet of new trains, will improve journey times and make services more comfortable, smoother, cleaner and quieter for passengers and people living near the railway.

For more information about the Great Western Electrification Programme, visit: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/great-western-route-modernisation/