Media centre

Monday 23 Feb 2026

Railway reopens between Petersfield and Havant following essential upgrade work with passengers advised of further closure in the Portsmouth area

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

| Southern

Train services are running again after Network Rail completed nine days of essential maintenance and improvement work on the line between Petersfield and Havant.

Engineers used the closure to carry out a coordinated programme of work designed to maintain safe and reliable services on the Portsmouth Direct Line. This included:

• installing new drainage to help protect the railway from flooding
• renewing sections of track to maintain a smooth and dependable ride
• upgrading signalling, power and telecoms equipment
• completing follow-up activity linked to the recent Farncombe to Petersfield signalling upgrade

By bringing this work together in one closure, teams were able to complete multiple upgrades at the same time and reduce the need for repeated disruption.

Some preparatory work was also carried out ahead of the next stage of long-term improvements on the Portsmouth Direct Line. Network Rail is now progressing a £120 million programme of upgrades in the Havant area to modernise the railway and improve reliability for passengers.

Signalling equipment in the Havant area is approaching the end of its operational life and is increasingly prone to faults. Over the coming years, this will be replaced with modern technology, with control transferring to the Basingstoke Rail Operating Centre. This forms part of a phased programme of work scheduled through to 2028.

Engineers will return to the Portsmouth area ahead of the Easter weekend, with buses replacing trains between Havant, Fareham and Portsmouth Harbour from Saturday 28 March to Thursday 2 April inclusive. During this time, work will include structural repairs to Portcreek Viaduct, which connects the mainland with Portsmouth on the Isle of Portsea, and renewal of wheel timbers around Portsmouth & Southsea station.

Speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway, Tom McNamee, Infrastructure Director, said: “Thank you to passengers for their patience while we carried out these works between Petersfield  and Havant. By bringing several upgrades together in one closure, we’ve been able to maintain and modernise key parts of the railway in a coordinated way.

“Following the completion of the Farncombe to Petersfield upgrade, we are now moving into the next planned stage of improvements on the Portsmouth Direct Line. This is part of a long-term programme to renew ageing infrastructure and improve reliability for passengers travelling between Portsmouth and London.

“Some elements of this work can only be completed when trains are not running. We plan these closures carefully across the year so engineers can carry out major upgrades safely and reduce the likelihood of unplanned disruption in the future.” “Some work can only be done when trains are not running, so we plan access carefully across the year to minimise repeated disruption for passengers.”

Further planned closures in 2026 will take place around the late May Bank Holiday, with additional access planned towards the end of October. More details will be confirmed closer to the time.