Significant disruption ahead for train passengers as railway lines to close for three weeks
Rail replacement buses will be running but passengers are being warned that their journeys could take longer while essential maintenance work is carried out
No trains will run through the Severn Estuary for three weeks from the end of July
(Image: Matthew Horwood )
Rail passengers are being warned they will face significant disruption due to essential maintenance being carried out on a railway line which runs through south Wales.
Due to the work, all railway lines through the Severn Estuary will be shut for three weeks from the end of July. Network Rail have confirmed that no trains will run between Gloucester and Severn Tunnel Junction from Sunday, July 27 until Sunday, August 17. Some services will be replaced by buses while the line is closed to allow engineers to work safely.
The improvement works will stabilise the slopes beside the tracks, with nearly 7,600 grouted rock anchors and netting over 32,000 square metres. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here .
The track will be renewed near Newnham Tunnel and signal and other infrastructure improvements will be made as part of the Gloucester Area Signalling Project (GASP).
Vegetation management, platform line painting and litter clearance activities will also take place at Chepstow and Lydney stations.
The work is part of the Severn Estuary Resilience Programme which aims to improve the reliability of services in the area which is "prone to extreme weather and coastal erosion"
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Replacement bus services
Replacement bus services will be provided for some services as follows:
On CrossCountry services, buses will replace trains between Gloucester and Severn Tunnel Junction via Lydney and Chepstow.
On Transport for Wales services, buses will run between Cheltenham Spa/Gloucester and Severn Tunnel Junction via Lydney and Chepstow.
Passengers are advised to check before they travel, as journey times could be extended.
Online journey planners will be updated ahead of the works, and station staff will be available to assist passengers. Check the latest travel information at www.journeycheck.com/tfwrail.
Nick Millington, Route Director at Network Rail (Wales and Borders) said: 'These works are part of the wider Severn Estuary Resilience Programme (SERP), a program designed to protect the railway lines in the area which - owing to its geography, geology and a changing climate – is especially prone to extreme weather and coastal erosion.'
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'We have chosen this time of year so that it minimises the number of passengers and freight hauliers impacted by this essential work, while keeping our teams undertaking the work safe.'
'This latest stage continues our commitment to improve the long-term safety and reliability in an area historically prone to landslips.'
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