Media centre

Monday 20 Mar 2006

SWANSEA CITY FOOTBALL FANS ADVISED OF CHANGES TO SERVICES

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Football fans travelling to Cardiff for the LDV Trophy Final on Sunday 2 April are advised to check their journey details before travelling as a result of the closure of the mainline between Bridgend and Swansea for essential engineering works. As part of Network Rail’s £400 million project to re-signal South Wales and the company’s commitment to provide a safe and reliable railway for the travelling public, we will be carrying out work in the Margam, Skewen and Stormy areas on 2 April.  This will mean the railway will be closed in both directions between Bridgend and Swansea all day. Robbie Burns, Network Rail’s Western Route Director, said:  “For the last few years we have promised the FA that we will have no significant work on any route to Cardiff on FA Cup Final day itself, but on any other weekend we cannot always offer that.  There are a large number of events held in Cardiff that we simply cannot keep all those times work free. “This work has been planned for two years and is necessary to maintain the safe running of the railway in South Wales.” Alternative road transport will be available, but as seats will be extremely limited customers should arrive at stations as early as possible.  Fans should also check journey details before they travel or seek alternative travel arrangements to the match.  Full alternative travel arrangements can be obtained by calling National Rail Enquiries (08457 48 49 50), logging on to www.nationalrail.co.uk or contacting Arriva Trains Wales (www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk) or First Great Western (www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk).