Passengers urged to check before they travel ahead of railway upgrade work

Passengers are being urged to check before they travel between Shrewsbury and Newport, South Wales as Network Rail embarks on upgrade works over six consecutive weekends beginning on 11 June.

Network Rail engineers will be carrying out essential maintenance work, track renewals – including some significant work at Shrewsbury station – and signalling upgrade work in and around Hereford station, all part of the company’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

The work will take place over six consecutive weekends concluding on Sunday, 17 July. Bus replacement services will be running throughout the duration of the work between Newport and Shrewsbury, with the exception of Saturday, 9 July when trains will be running between Newport and Hereford due to an event at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Paul McMahon, Wales route managing director for Network Rail, said: “These essential improvement works will mean better, more reliable journeys for the record numbers of passengers using the railway.

“We are urging people to check before they travel. Some journeys will take longer and a bus replacement service will be in operation during these upgrade works. We have scheduled these works during the weekends to minimise disruption to passengers.

“I’d like to thank passengers for their patience and understanding as we deliver this vital work to improve their journeys.’’

An Arriva Trains Wales spokesperson said: “A rail replacement service will be running between these stations: Newport, Cwmbran, Pontypool and New Inn, Abergavenny, Hereford, Leominister, Ludlow, Craven Arms, Church Stretton and Shrewsbury.

“We are advising customers to allow for longer time for their journey especially on the weekend of 11/12 June where work on the Onibury level crossing on the A49 will lead to longer diversions. We regret that dogs (except guide dogs), cycles, prams and large items of luggage cannot be carried on replacement bus services.

“There will be also other engineering works taking part on other parts of the rail network in the area over weekends in June and July so passengers are urged to check their weekend journey plans in advance at www.nationalrail.co.uk.”