Important repairs to a bridge near Yeoford are to go ahead from this weekend.
As a result, Great Western Railway (GWR) says train services between Crediton, Barnstaple and Okehampton will be replaced by buses from Saturday 19 to Sunday 27 February.
It said Network Rail has to make essential repairs to maintain the bridge and stretch of railway, which carries passenger services on the Dartmoor Line to Okehampton and on the Tarka Line to Barnstaple.
Hourly train services will still run between Exeter Central and Crediton. However, a rail replacement bus service will run from Crediton to Okehampton, Barnstaple and Yeoford.
As well as these works, buses will also replace trains between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth on weekends with non-stop buses also running between Tiverton Parkway and Plymouth.
GWR regional station manager, west, Mark Chorley, said: “This work is important to ensure we can continue to maintain and improve resilience and we thank customers for their patience in advance.
“We have been working hard to provide as many replacement buses as we can to ensure people can continue to travel with confidence. However, we recommend our customers check their times carefully before travelling to ensure a smooth journey with us.”
Discussing the work to be undertaken, Network Rail scheme project manager, George Bartlett, said: “The repairs we are making to Yeoford bridge are really critical to ensure this well used bridge continues to safely carry passenger services on the Dartmoor and Tarka lines.
“Our engineers will be working tirelessly to complete a large number of improvements and we’re grateful to both passengers and local residents for their patience and understanding while we complete this work.”
GWR has been providing rail services throughout the pandemic and has worked to ensure that these are as safe as possible. This includes increased cleaning regimes and the use of a virucidal spray; extra staff at key stations to offer help and guidance; and processes in place to help customers maintain a safe distance where possible.
