Media centre

Friday 7 Jan 2011

RAIL IMPROVEMENTS ON LINCOLNSHIRE COAST

Region & Route:

Passengers on the Boston to Skegness line are to benefit from the second phase of track improvement works along the route – as well as improvements at Skegness station.

Work begins this weekend on the next phase of a £21m investment which will see the old track renewed – improving reliability and giving passengers a smoother ride. At the same time work to improve Skegness station by removing redundant buildings from its front will start next week.

The track work will pause over the busy summer tourist period and be completed in the Autumn. The work at the station will be complete by March.

Kevin Preece, area general manager for Network Rail, said: “This track investment will deliver huge benefits to the thousands of people who use this route. We are getting extra value by using recycled materials on an unprecedented scale. That will result in massive amounts of track replaced in a very short timescale saving money and carbon.

”The station works will clear old buildings from the front of the station, making the area more pleasant for passengers and allowing for future landscaping and development at the station.”

The track between Boston and Skegness was opened in 1873 and has suffered from years of underinvestment. It is an important line for both residents and visitors and this work will give a new lease of life to the route.

Phase one of work was completed in November 2009. In January and February the line between Boston and Skegness will be closed at weekends from 21:40 on Saturday night to 06:20 on Monday mornings. Between February and May additional work will also take place during shorter, midweek overnight closures. All changes to services will be publicised by East Midlands Trains and information posted on National Rail Enquiries.

The third and final phase of track work is scheduled from late September to December 2011.

Statistics:

In the final two phases the line will be renewed the line with:

• 73,000 yards of rail
• 42,000 steel sleepers
• 9,800 concrete sleepers
• 106,000 tonnes of ballast

Green credentials:

All concrete sleepers are recycled and it is intended that at least 50% of the rail will be recycled. Network Rail is exploring further opportunities elsewhere in the business to identify any other opportunities to increase the green credentials of the track work.