Media centre

Thursday 29 Jun 2017

Residents invited to drop-in events about upgrades between Rugely Trent Valley and Walsall

Region & Route:

| North West & Central

Residents living near the Chase line are invited to three drop-in events next week to find out more about work to electrify the railway between Rugeley Trent Valley and Walsall.

Once electrified, London Midland’s passengers will benefit from a cleaner, greener, quieter and more reliable railway between Birmingham and Rugeley with more frequent services.

An increasing number of passengers use the Chase line each year and improvements are needed to accommodate this growth. To deliver the £100m+ upgrade, which forms part of the Railway Upgrade Plan, engineers are working on the line every night and at weekends as well as during a full closure from Sunday 13 August until Monday 28 August 2017.

Sally O’Hare, scheme project manager for Network Rail said: “This work forms part of our Railway Upgrade Plan and will deliver better, greener and more efficient services and frequent services for passengers using the Chase Line.

"I appreciate that the work could be disruptive to local people and will impact on train services. These sessions are an opportunity to find out more and reassure people that we will be taking all possible measures to keep disruption to a minimum and reopen the railway on time.”

Work which will take place includes:

• Replacing and realigning the track at various locations between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley
• Platform work at Cannock, Landywood and Bloxwich stations.
• Temporary closure of Bloxwich level crossing. A diversionary route for road traffic and pedestrians will be implemented.
• Temporary closure of Landywood and Stoneyfields footpath crossings.
• Piling to install remaining foundations for stanchions
• Installation of stanchions and gantries ahead of overhead lines being installed in 2018

Local residents are invited to speak to Network Rail staff who will be on hand to answer questions and provide more detail. The three drop in events will take place at:

• Rugeley Town Council, Red Rose Theatre, Taylor's Ln, Rugeley WS15 2AA on Tuesday 4^th July from 4pm to 7pm
• Bloxwich Library, Elmore Row, Walsall WS3 2HR on Wednesday 5^th July from 4pm to 7pm
• Cheslyn Hay Parish Council, Village Hall, Pinfold Lane, Walsall, WS6 7HP on Thursday 6^th July from 4pm to 7:00pm

To find out more about this work please visit our website www.networkrail.co.uk/chase-line-electrification-rugeley-to-walsall

Any residents who cannot make the drop in and have any questions can call our national helpline on 03457 11 41 41