Train passengers travelling between Oxfordshire and Birmingham are being warned of a key closure this Sunday (January 19). The route between Bicester North/Banbury and Birmingham Moor Street and between Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon, will shut to allow maintenance and improvement work.
Network Rail’s teams will improve drainage, cut back vegetation, inspect and maintain tunnels and examine the state of the tracks. The essential work will affect Chiltern Railways, West Midlands Railway and CrossCountry and bus replacement services will be in operation.
Neil Gaskin, programme director for Network Rail Central route, said: “I am sorry for the disruption caused while we complete this essential work. We know there is never a good time to close the railway but this work has been carefully planned to keep disruption to a minimum while delivering the most future benefits for passengers and freight.
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“If you’re planning to travel, please plan ahead and check before you travel for the latest journey information and travel advice.”
Michael Stewart, commercial and customer strategy director at Chiltern Railways, said: “These engineering works are vital to improve the track and ensure more reliable journeys for customers in the future. Journeys through the affected areas this Sunday will take considerably longer and will involve a rail replacement bus.
“We advise customers to check their journeys ahead of travelling and we thank them for their patience as Network Rail carries out the works.”