Bank Holiday advice for East Anglia rail users

24 May 2019, 08:44 | Updated: 24 May 2019, 08:46

Rail passengers in Norfolk and Suffolk are being warned of travel disruption this Bank Holiday weekend.

Network Rail is advising those intending to take the train in East Anglia to plan their journeys in advance.

Works are taking place across the Anglia network including:

- Renewing switches and crossings - movable sections of rail that guide trains from one track to another - and track maintenance between Ipswich and Norwich/Bury St Edmunds
- Upgrading the track, switches and crossings at Stowmarket
- Track renewals at East Suffolk - increasing the reliability, safety and performance of the crossovers
- Making significant capacity improvements on the Felixstowe branch line to allow more container traffic to move on the line each day to and from the port of Felixstowe

Meliha Duymaz, Network Rail's route managing director for Anglia, said: "We recognise there is never an ideal time to shut the railway for our must-do work, but bank holidays are the least disruptive time to do it, when fewer passengers use the railway compared to the working week.

"We can do the maximum amount of work while impacting the fewest number of people. Sometimes a closure is the only way we can carry out major work like replacing track or improvements to overhead electric lines. We always work closely with train companies to minimise disruption.

"While a lot of the network will be open, if you are thinking about travelling, please plan ahead by checking with your train operator or visiting the National Rail Enquiries website."

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: "Together with Network Rail, we're transforming the railway in East Anglia, to make it more reliable. We apologise to customers inconvenienced by this work and thank them for their continuing patience.

"We'd advise customers to check before they travel on our website or app to find out details of revised timetables and rail replacements."