Severn Tunnel engineering works to disrupt trains to Wales
Two miles of stones are being replaced on the track across July and August
Train travel between Bristol and South Wales will be disrupted for several days in July and August as essential maintenance works take place in the Severn Tunnel.
The upgrades will replace two miles of stones on the railway and also end a temporary 50mph speed limit that has been in place along the route.
Mark Dix, Project Manager at Network Rail, says that the engineering will improve reliability and speed up journey times for passengers.
“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," he said.
“Once this work is finished, passengers travelling via Bristol Parkway will experience fewer days with 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.”
Passengers travelling to South Wales through Bristol on Great Western Railway (GWR) services between Friday 1 July and Sunday 10 July, and during follow-up engineering on Sunday 17 July and again Sunday 14 August, are advised to check any planned journeys in advance.
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.”
On those dates, train services between London and South Wales will divert after Swindon, stopping at Gloucester rather than Bristol Parkway, and rail replacement buses will run instead of trains between Bristol Parkway and Newport.
Rail replacement buses will also replace trains on the weekend of Friday 8 and Saturday 9 July between Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road for Filton Abbey Wood or Bristol Parkway.
For more information on how your journey could be affected, visit GWR.com/Bristol.