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Passengers travelling through South Gloucestershire are to benefit from a new flood alleviation scheme to improve the resilience of the railway at Chipping Sodbury.

To meet the expected growth in passenger numbers in the Bristol area, Network Rail is replacing the Victorian-era Stapleton Road railway viaduct with demolition set to begin next week. This work will enable Network Rail to double the number of rail lines – from two to four –as part of the Filton Bank Four-tracking project, increasing train services in the region.

Better access to Newbury railway station is a step closer as work to replace the station’s footbridge started this week as Network Rail continues to deliver its Railway Upgrade Plan.

Passengers are reminded that services will not run between Oxford, Didcot Parkway and Banbury for nine days from Saturday 22 July as Network Rail undertake vital work which will improve will improve line speeds into and out of Oxford when final commissioning is completed in summer 2018.

Users of the renowned Warleigh Weir beauty spot at Claverton are being urged to pay more attention to the railway after reports of five near misses with trains in as many weeks.

The railway line between Chippenham and Swindon re-opened today (Monday 17 July) after Network Rail completed a £3.5m drainage upgrade and track-lowering project, improving reliability of the railway through the area and paving the way for a new fleet of trains.

A new delay-busting Traffic Management system on the Great Western Railway will boost performance on train journeys between London Paddington and Bristol Parkway. Thanks to a two year contract agreed between Network Rail and the British signalling & train control specialists, Resonate, a one year trial of ‘Luminate’ Traffic Management System could see reactionary delays reduced by up to 15%.

• Work will allow line between Chippenham and Swindon to be electrified
• Upgraded drainage will help make services more reliable