Key upgrades at York railway station this Christmas

Network Rail says teams will work round the clock this festive period to deliver vital track improvements in and around York railway station.

The work will take place from Christmas Eve until Monday 2 January and is a £6million investment. The upgrade will see 2.7km of track renewed, as well as nine sets of points – the specialist piece of equipment which allows trains to move from one section of track to another.

Work will also take place to renew signalling equipment, as well as to improve specialist heaters on the track, which help melt snow and ice, keeping trains running reliably in the winter.

Sam MacDougall, operations director for Network Rail’s East Coast route said: “Our teams will be out working hard this Christmas to provide an improved railway for passengers.

“The work at York is crucial to keep trains running reliably and smoothly for years to come. Our engineering work and the impact of planned industrial action will mean changes to some services, so passengers are urged to plan ahead and check before travelling.”

The work is taking place at the same time to minimise disruption for passengers, but anybody planning to travel over the Christmas period is being strongly advised to check before they travel. Network Rail says planned industrial action will have a sustained impact on train services, alongside any disruption from engineering work.

Once complete, passengers will benefit from a more modern and reliable railway, with smoother journeys and reduced likelihood of delays. 

With changes to services over Christmas, passengers are urged to plan ahead via National Rail Enquiries or with their train operator. Some bus replacement services will be in place, as well as diversion routes, with journeys expected to take longer than usual.

This work will also mean changes at Marygate car park as Network Rail sets up an area to carry out the work. This will reduce available car parking spaces by a third between Monday, 19 December and Friday, 6 January (inclusive).

There will be no change in the number of disabled bays or electric charging points. Motorists are encouraged to use park and ride facilities between Monday 19 December and Friday 6 January, as car park spaces at Marygate will be reduced because of the engineering work. More info can be found by visiting https://www.itravelyork.info/park-ride. Details of alternative car parks can be found by visiting https://www.york.gov.uk/parking

A spokesperson on behalf of train operators on the route said: “These key upgrades at York will mean changes to services over the festive period and passengers should check their journey before travelling via National Rail Enquires or their train operator.

“We are working hard to keep people moving this Christmas, with rail replacement services and diversion routes, but this means your journey will take longer and may be busier than usual.”

Photo credit: Network Rail

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