Rail journeys to be affected by engineering work in the Newbury area
Great Western Railway services in Berkshire and Wiltshire will be affected by further rail improvement work next week.
Network Rail has been replacing track on the route through Newbury as well as flood alleviation works at Newbury station this autumn.
The latest planned work will affect trains between Newbury and Westbury from Tuesday 10 to Thursday 12 December:
- Trains between London and the South West will use an alternative route via Swindon making some journey times longer as a result
- Trains will still run between London Paddington/Reading and Newbury
- Replacement buses will operate between Newbury and Bedwyn, and between Pewsey and Swindon
- There will also be replacement buses between Westbury and Chippenham due to limited train service between Westbury and Swindon
Tom Butler, GWR Station Manager for the Kennet & Thames Valley area, said:
“This improvement work forms part of an ongoing programme of maintenance, helping to ensure we continue to provide consistent and reliable services.
“Trains will still run between Newbury and Reading or onto London Paddington, and between London and the South West using an alternative route.
“GWR will provide rail replacement services for stations between Newbury and Bedwyn, and buses between Pewsey and Swindon for onward connections.
“There will also be limited train services running between Westbury and Swindon, so replacement buses will also be provided between Westbury and Chippenham.
“It’s important that customers note these alternative travel arrangements will make their normal journey times much longer, so please check before you travel.”
Mark Parker, South Rail Systems Alliance and Network Rail’s lead portfolio manager, said:
“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we carry out this essential track upgrade in the Newbury area.
“Once complete, this vital work will enable continued safe and reliable services to run on this popular route for years to come.”
For the latest information, visit GWR.com/Upgrade.
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Notes to editors
Notes to editors
First Greater Western Limited, trading as “Great Western Railway” (GWR), operates trains across the Great Western franchise area, which includes South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, across southern England and into London. GWR provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services and helps more than 80 million passengers reach their destination every year. GWR has been awarded a National Rail Contract to operate the Great Western network: https://www.gwr.com/about-us