Rail passengers advised over Severn Tunnel summer upgrade destruptions
More than two miles of track will be renewed in the Severn Tunnel this summer with rail passengers being advised by Network Rail to check services before travelling.
Network Rail owns, operates, maintains and develops Britain’s railway and is responsible for ensuring that the railway is safe and reliable.
A spokesperson for the company said: “Network Rail will begin essential track maintenance, as well as testing the electrical power supply, in the Severn Tunnel during July and August, 2022.
“More than two miles of track, sleepers and ballast (the stones on the railway) will be replaced to ensure the continued safe and reliable operation of the railway.
“The new track will also enable the removal of a temporary 50mph speed restriction that has been in place in recent weeks, making passenger’s journeys quicker and more reliable in the future.”
The track work will affect Great Western Railway services from Friday 1st to Sunday 10th July.
Trains that normally run between London and South Wales will be using an alternative route between Swindon and Newport, and will stop at Gloucester instead of Bristol Parkway.
A limited train service will still run between London Paddington and Bristol Parkway on weekdays only – otherwise travel will be via Bristol Temple Meads.
Buses will replace trains between Bristol Parkway and Newport.
In addition, buses will also replace trains at Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road for Filton Abbey Wood or Bristol Parkway on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th July.
Follow-up engineering work is planned that will affect trains between Bristol and South Wales on Sunday 17th July and again on Sunday 14th August (until midday).
Mark Dix, Project Manager at Network Rail, said: “The Severn Tunnel is a vital rail link for passengers travelling between Wales and England, so it is extremely important that we invest in its future.
“Once this work is finished, passengers travelling via Bristol Parkway will experience fewer delays with much more reliable journeys.
“I appreciate that this work is going to cause some disruption for passengers, so I would like to thank them in advance for their patience.”
David Bailey, GWR’s customer service manager for South Wales, said: “The work inside the Severn Tunnel will support our train service in Wales, especially those trains running under electric power serving Cardiff Central and Newport.
“We will divert long-distance trains via an alternative route and provide road transport between Newport and Bristol Parkway to ensure customers can complete their journeys.”
The latest information regarding the planned upgrade can be found here.
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