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Over the next five years, Network Rail has an ambitious plan to promote the growth of rail freight services, taking vehicles off the road and providing a sustainable, green option for transporting heavy goods.

Passengers are being urged to check before they travel between South Wales and Shropshire on three weekends in September when Network Rail will be carrying out essential engineering work.

Essential railway engineering work starts in the Bristol and South Gloucestershire areas on Saturday 17 August and runs until the early hours of Saturday 24 August.

Network Rail will shortly begin rail replacement work in the North Cotswolds area with passengers advised to check their journeys.

Network Rail has started work at Lostwithiel station in Cornwall to build a footbridge over the railway for the first time in more than 50 years. 

The future of Par signal box in Cornwall, one of the oldest signal boxes still standing, has been secured with an agreement to use it as a training facility. 

Network Rail’s Wales and Western region has developed a new type of sleeper – used on the railway to support the track – with environmental benefits.

Crucial railway engineering work is taking place to the north and south of Oxford at the end of July, while the station expansion scheme also continues with platform construction and signalling.