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The railway network in the south of England is one of the most congested anywhere in Europe – as passengers know only too well as they stand on crowded commuter trains. In the last 20 years the number of people travelling on the rail network has doubled, and the rail network, our stations and our platforms are dealing with more passengers than they were ever designed for.

Work to electrify the railway across Central Scotland will mean timetable changes on some routes from Sunday, September 4, as we complete the electrification of the main Edinburgh-Glasgow line.

Passengers are being reminded that work in Chorley, which will enable electric trains to run between Manchester and Preston, will affect rail services between Preston and Bolton over the August bank holiday weekend.

The reconstruction of Wightman Road bridge in Haringey, which runs over an important railway line connecting Gospel Oak and Barking, is almost complete and the road will reopen on Monday, 5 September.

Network Rail staff are preparing themselves for an influx of music lovers ahead of the annual Leeds Festival this weekend.

People across Suffolk are being invited to a second round of consultation events next month in Ipswich, Bury St. Edmunds and Stowmarket to see Network Rail’s updated proposals to close or change the use of 31 level crossings across the county by altering the public Rights of Way network.

People across Cambridgeshire are being invited to a second round of consultation events next month in March, Cambridge and Littleport to see Network Rail’s updated proposals to close or change the use of 33 level crossings across the county by altering the public Rights of Way network.