Network Rail unveils details of its £100m Easter investment

Passengers are being warned to check their travel plans this Easter with no trains heading in and out of Euston over four days as part of Network Rail’s £100m investment programme.

The organisation say a 13,800-strong workforce will work around the clock this Easter to keep the railway open and deliver more reliable infrastructure, improved facilities and services for passengers.

The programme of work is part of Network Rail’s railway upgrade plan – a multi-billion-pound investment in the rail network which is aiming to improve passenger journeys in the months and years ahead.

Despite urging commuters up and down the country to check for possible disruption, Network Rail say most routes would be open for "business as usual" as the majority of the network is unaffected by upgrade work. This Easter’s engineering programme is said to be the quietest for many years.

Disruption to the network will impact passengers from Friday 19 to Monday 22 April and will include:

The West Coast Main Line – closures of the line at London Euston, near Preston and Glasgow. There will be no trains running to or from London Euston station from Friday 19 April to Monday 22 April.

Improving the reliability of the line between London Fenchurch Street station and Barking by replacing two bridges and renewing the track means no trains running to or from London Fenchurch Street from Friday 19 to Monday 22 April.

Significant electrification work (including installing foundations, masts, overhead line equipment and fencing) between Cardiff Central station and Severn Tunnel junction from Friday 19 to Monday 22 April.

Upgrading the overhead wiring system from Friday 19 April to Monday 22 April on the Southend Victoria branch line as part of a £46m investment.

Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail said: “This Easter we are strongly advising passengers to plan ahead while we deliver essential upgrades to the rail network to improve their journeys. We know that our railway is up to 50% quieter than usual over bank holidays so doing work at this time of year minimises our impact on passengers who, as research shows, understand the need for such activity."

More details of how journeys will be affected can be found here.