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• Vast majority of the rail network – over 95% – will be open for business as usual for passengers looking to travel by train over Christmas and New Year
• Most upgrade works planned for when passenger trains aren’t running – such as overnight, Christmas Day and Boxing Day – to minimise disruption. But some routes will be affected by the essential works taking place, so passengers should plan ahead
• Passengers – who must wear a face covering in busy indoor settings unless they are exempt – can continue to travel with confidence this Christmas

A more reliable railway with faster journeys and the potential for more train services is coming for passengers between Woking and Portsmouth Harbour, with the launch of the Portsmouth Direct Upgrade.

Rail passengers are being urged to check before they travel with planned engineering works taking place over Christmas. 

A new COVID-19 vaccination centre has opened at Birmingham New Street station to provide a convenient location in the city centre for people to have their vaccinations.

• Engineers will carry out final stage of work to upgrade 1970s track between Kentish Town and London St Pancras this Christmas and over New Year
• Improvements will bring a more modern reliable railway for passengers and reduce delays
• Reduced East Midlands Railway and Thameslink services from Monday 27 December until Tuesday 4 January – passengers reminded to plan ahead
• Additional Midland Main Line upgrades on Christmas Day and Boxing Day when no timetabled trains are running

Network Rail has submitted a planning application to Mid Devon District Council to reduce the frequency and duration of flooding on the railway at Hele and help prevent a vital link to the South West being cut off.

Network Rail’s purpose-built Rail Innovation and Development Centre (RIDC) reached a major milestone on the East Coast Digital Programme last month with the successful completion of dynamic testing of the Alstom-installed European Train Control System (ETCS) on rolling stock. The test was controlled from the ETCS National Integration Facility (ENIF).

As activity continues to prepare for the start of work on the Levenmouth Rail Link, Members of the Scottish Parliament Jenny Gilruth and David Torrance visited site to see first-hand the progress that has been made.