Media centre

Monday 12 Jul 2004

TUNNEL CLOSED AND PASSENGERS STILL ON THE MOVE

Region & Route:

| Southern

Months of careful planning paid off this morning – the first day of the Ipswich tunnel closure – as replacement bus services delivered passengers to Manningtree station for connecting trains to London. Mark Livock, Network Rail’s Project Director, said:  “We are pleased that the arrangements we made to keep passengers on the move have been successful. Naturally there are a few wrinkles to iron out, but we are glad that everyone was aware of the changes to their journeys.” “We are particularly pleased that the buses ran as scheduled and that customers have direct access to Manningtree station from the new bus interchange.  We will continue to work hard to make sure inconvenience to passengers is kept to a minimum during the tunnel closure.”      Work to Ipswich tunnel started as soon as the final train passed through the tunnel on Saturday evening. Engineers are currently breaking up the existing concrete slab on which the track sits in order to lower the ground level.  Network Rail is using the tunnel closure as an opportunity to carry out other work along the railway too.  Track renewal work has already started and railway workers will continue to renew £9million worth of track until the tunnel reopens. - more - First morning – 2 There is a special timetable, available at stations, for the duration of the tunnel closure. Passengers are advised to contact National Rail enquiries or consult one’s website www.onerailway.co.uk for service information.