Major alterations work to affect some CrossCountry journeys

Work to upgrade track and drainage will affect some CrossCountry services, Network Rail has said.

The work will take place over nine days, between 19 and 27 February, at Water Orton in North Warwickshire and Duddeston in Birmingham, meaning some routes will have to be closed.

The project is part of a programme of long term improvements to the network, Network Rail has said, and will include preparations for HS2.

The routes affected include services between:

• Birmingham New Street and Leicester, Peterborough, Cambridge and Stansted Airport.
• Cardiff Central and Birmingham New Street to Nottingham
• Scotland, the North East to Birmingham New Street and the South West

CrossCountry’s long-distance trains will be diverted around the work, but this will mean longer journey times.

Meanwhile, the train operator’s regional services linking the East Midlands and Anglia with Birmingham will start and finish at Coleshill Parkway.

Preparatory work will also affect CrossCountry services on the weekends of the 5-6 and 12-13 February.

People are urged to check the National Rail web page if they are planning to travel on those routes during the essential work or visit CrossCountry’s dedicated webpage.

Patrick Cawley, director for ‘On Network Works’ for Network Rail and HS2, said: “We’re making great progress on HS2 and a key part of this is making sure it works in harmony with the existing railway.

“While this latest phase of work takes place I’d urge people to please check before they travel with CrossCountry or by using the National Rail Enquiries website or app, and I thank everyone in advance for their patience while we help build this railway for the future.”

Richard Morris, regional director East Midlands & East Anglia for CrossCountry, said: “We are working collaboratively with our industry colleagues at Network Rail, HS2 and West Midlands Trains on detailed alternative arrangements for our customers to ensure the disruption to their journeys is kept to a minimum. There will be extended journey times for everyone travelling on the affected routes, and on our regional services travelling into and out of Birmingham New Street will involve transfer to and from a frequent rail replacement bus service at Coleshill Parkway.

“We are putting extra facilities and staffing in place to ensure passengers can interchange between trains and buses as smoothly as possible. I’d urge people to please check before they travel using the National Rail Enquiries website or app.”

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