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Network Rail will carry out vital maintenance and upgrades across Wales and the west this Easter to ensure it can continue to move critical freight and passengers, who are reminded to make essential journeys only.

Network Rail is calling on former or retired signallers in the Western route area to help keep the railway moving during the current coronavirus event.

Network Rail’s station teams are inviting the public to send them home-made pictures of rainbows with a railway theme which will be displayed at Bristol Temple Meads, Reading and London Paddington.

Key workers including NHS staff can now park for free at several Network Rail stations across the west including at Bristol Temple Meads, Chippenham, Swindon, Reading and London Paddington.

Key workers, including NHS staff, can now get to work on a more reliable and resilient railway after Network Rail completed nine upgrades between Taunton and Castle Cary in Somerset.

This week alone key workers from Network Rail have enabled more than 370,000 tonnes of freight to be moved between west London and Cornwall and into and across Wales to support the economy, the NHS, petrol at the pumps and food in shops.

Network Rail and British Transport Police are urging parents and carers in the Thames Valley, West Country and South West to hammer home railway safety messages as schools across Britain close.

This weekend Network Rail will start work on nine railway upgrades in Somerset which will take place at the same time to reduce disruption for passengers.