Rail passengers face nine weekends of train disruption between Cumbria and Scotland
The improvement works will affect passengers between 29 March and 9 June
Rail passengers travelling between Carlisle and Scotland face nine weekends of cancellations.
It's all down to signalling and engineering works, planned later this month.
Signalling upgrades and track improvements will close the West Coast Main Line on several dates, including Easter weekend and the first May Bank holiday.
Bus replacement services will be in place between Carlisle, Glasgow, Dumfries and Edinburgh.
The improvement works will affect passengers for 14 days, but across nine weekends, between 29 March and 9 June.
Dates include:
- Sunday 30 March
- Sunday 6 April
- Sunday 13 April
- Easter Weekend (Saturday 19 April to Monday 21 April)
- Sunday 27 April
- May Bank Holiday (Saturday 3 May to Sunday 4 May)
- Saturday 10 May and Sunday 11 May
- Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June
- Sunday 8 June
Rebecca Rathore, Network Rail’s Route Strategy Director for North West route says:
"We do run a reliable railway, but the signalling system does need to be maintained. We have a Victorian infrastructure and we have a renewals programme to make sure that it remains fit and for the purpose for customers and freight.
"There will be disruption across the route – for example there will be no direct trains to or from Glasgow and Edinburgh and we will be operating a reduced timetable north of Carlisle.
"We are doing the work over nine weekends to minimise disruption because we know from our data that is when fewer people travel on the network.
"But the work is essential - it needs to take place so that our railways are fit for the future.
"However, we also have to maintain the railway for now, for people that want to use it now, and that's what we try to do – it’s about getting that right balance for people."
For more information on the planned work, please visit Network Rail.