Media centre

Thursday 25 Jan 2007

PORTSMOUTH RESIGNALLING PROJECT MOVES INTO FINAL PHASE

Region & Route:

| Southern: Wessex

| Southern

The £100 million Portsmouth resignalling project will soon be moving into its final phase. The scheme, once completed, will deliver big benefits to passengers as the new equipment helps to deliver a better, more reliable train service. Although much has been accomplished with all the track work completed the installation and testing of the new signalling system is running behind schedule. This is both frustrating and disappointing for passengers and Network Rail. The company would like to apologise in advance to passengers and ask for their continued patience, but it is essential for the work to be completed before the new signalling equipment can be brought fully into use. This is a significant investment in railway signalling in the area and will mean more reliable, smoother and quieter journeys for rail passengers in the future. Trains will run as usual from 5th February to 14th March as planned, except for services between Fratton and Portsmouth Harbour. In the period between 5th February and 14th March, three trains an hour will run through Fratton to Portsmouth Harbour - two South West Train services and one First Great Western. During this time all Southern train services will terminate at Fratton. Network Rail is also advising passengers that between Thursday 15 March and Sunday 18 March, the lines between Portsmouth Harbour and Petersfield, Fareham and Chichester will be closed. On Sunday 18 March the closure will extend to between Portsmouth Harbour and Haslemere, Swanwick and Eastleigh. These closures are so that the final testing of the new signalling system can be completed. Replacement bus services will be in operation and Network Rail is working with all train operating companies to ensure passenger disruption is kept to a minimum and travellers are kept fully informed about how the works will affect their journeys. “This project will deliver big benefits for passengers, and the need to reschedule the commissioning is deeply disappointing. The new signalling equipment is not yet ready to take over train operation, and more time is needed to get the reliability to higher levels. We sincerely apologise to passengers and thank them for their patience and hope they understand how important it is to finish this project and secure the future of this route. We do need to carry out some further work and testing which will mean some additional disruption for passengers. The investment is long overdue and will enable passengers to benefit from a more reliable service in the future. We will be working closely with South West Trains, Southern and First Great Western to minimise disruption and keep passengers up to date and on the move,” said David Pape, Network Rail route director. The Portsmouth project involves a major overhaul of signalling and track equipment along a 50 mile section of the area’s rail network from Portsmouth to Petersfield and Bedhampton to Portchester. Some of the equipment being replaced dates back to the 1960s and the project will also see a state-of-the-art signalling control centre being opened in Havant. Phase 2 of the work on the project is on-going with lines between Portsmouth and Fratton closed until Wednesday 31 January. On the 27 and 28 January, the closure will extend to between Portsmouth Harbour and Petersfield, Fareham and Chichester. Replacement buses will be in operation. Phase 3 will see the lines from Portsmouth Harbour to Petersfield, Fareham and Chichester closed from Thursday 1 February until Sunday 4 February. On this Sunday, the closure will also extend to between Portsmouth Harbour and Haslemere, Swanwick and Eastleigh. Replacement buses will be in operation. For further travel advice, passengers are advised to consult the South West Trains, Southern Railway and First Great Western websites (www.southwesttrains.co.uk www.southernrailway.com and www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk ) Alternative travel arrangements are also available from National Rail Enquiries on 0845 7 48 4950 or www.nationalrail.co.uk