Tuesday 22 Jan 2019
Sunday rail passengers urged to check before travelling ahead of platform lengthening work
- Region & Route:
- North West & Central
Passengers planning to use train services between Southport and Wigan this Sunday (27 January) are being urged to check before they travel ahead of work to lengthen station platforms.
As part of the Great North Rail Project, work to extend platforms has started at Bescar Lane and New Lane stations on the Southport to Wigan line and is due to be completed by early May. Most of the work will take place during overnight shifts when trains aren’t running, however a full day shift is needed to complete the improvements.
On Sunday 27 January, Northern services between Southport and Wigan will be replaced by buses. Passengers are urged to allow extra time for their journeys and check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Rosie Cooper, MP for West Lancashire, said: “I am pleased that Network Rail is committed to improving the Southport to Wigan line which serves many stations in West Lancashire through Scarisbrick, Burscough, Parbold and Appley Bridge.
“They have planned the upgrade works to minimise disruption to passengers including working overnight, so I hope commuters will manage with one day of rail replacement buses for the longer term gain of longer platforms to accommodate longer trains with more seats.”
Lawrence Cheung, project sponsor for Network Rail, said: “Work to increase the length of platforms at Bescar Lane and New Lane station forms part of the Great North Rail project and will allow longer trains to run on this route.
“We would like to thank passengers and local residents affected by this vital work for their patience whilst this takes place.”
Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern, said: “Extending platforms is vital if we are to effectively increase capacity for our customers. We know our customers want better trains with more room, and longer platforms mean we will be able to deliver this.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this work will cause, and we’re working with Network Rail to keep any disruption to a minimum and have plans in place to keep our customers on the move.”
Network Rail, Northern and TransPennine Express are extending more than 100 platforms at over 70 stations across the North of England to allow for longer trains with more seats.
To find out more, please visit www.networkrail.co.uk/GNRP.
Contact information
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03457 11 41 41
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