Essential Christmas maintenance across the South West to impact services
Train services via Bristol Parkway will be affected between Christmas and new year as part of an ongoing programme of rail improvement work
Rail improvement works will be underway across our region across the Christmas period.
Network rail plans to renew track in the Bristol Parkway and Yate areas as well as carry out essential maintenance of the overhead electrical power supply.
It means that rail services travelling via Bristol Parkway will be impacted between the Christmas and New Year period - and means no trains will be running via Bristol Parkway from Tuesday 27 to Saturday 31 December.
- GWR trains between London and South Wales will use an alternative route between Swindon and Newport – stopping at Patchway instead of Bristol Parkway
- CrossCountry trains will use an alternative route between Cheltenham Spa and Bristol Temple Meads – stopping additionally at Gloucester but not Bristol Parkway
- Buses will replace all train services to/from Bristol Parkway
For those travelling during this period, valid rail tickets and passes will be accepted on First West of England bus services between Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
Great Western Railway services will not run on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, and customers are also being advised to only travel if necessary on Christmas Eve.
Because of strike action, all journeys will need to have been completed by lunchtime.
After Christmas and throughout the New Year period, a reduced timetable will be in operation on all routes, and there will be some late-night cancellations.
Services will start after midday on 27 December.
GWR’s Station Manager for Bristol Parkway Marcus Deegan, said: “These track upgrades near Bristol Parkway will enable us to maintain services over a vital junction on the rail network for customers travelling north, south, east or west.
“Where possible we will be diverting trains via an alternative route, or providing alternative road transport, to ensure that customers can still complete their journeys.”
Network Rail Project Manager Bradley Wallace said: “Christmas presents a fantastic opportunity to carry out essential maintenance work on the track with minimal disruption to passengers, as traditionally it is a much quieter time of the year for rail travel with no trains running on Christmas and Boxing Day.
“Our teams will be working really hard to make the most of it, completing a vital track renewal next to Bristol Parkway station, as well as replacing sleepers at Westerleigh Junction just a few miles away near Yate, and inspecting the condition of the overhead lines which power the trains, at the same time.
“I’d like to thank passengers and local residents for their patience while we complete this important work to help ensure the continued safe and reliable running of the railway.”
For the latest information, visit the GWR website.