Journey changes between Birmingham and London Marylebone this weekend
Customers planning to travel between Birmingham and London Marylebone this weekend are being warned of changes to services while essential track maintenance takes place.
The work, which will help provide better and more reliable journeys for customers and freight services, means the railway will be closed on Sunday 2 March between Gerrards Cross and Bicester, and also between Aylesbury and Bicester.
Network Rail’s teams will be replacing track and improving drainage to help keep the railway safe for the hundreds of passenger and freight trains which use the line every week.
The vital work will predominantly affect Chiltern Railways services and journeys will take longer than usual with bus replacement services in operation.
Neil Gaskin, programme director for Network Rail Central route, said: “I am sorry for the disruption caused while we complete these essential track upgrades. We know there is never a good time to close the railway but this work has been carefully planned to keep disruption to a minimum while delivering the most future benefits for passengers and freight.
“If you're planning to travel, please plan ahead and check before you travel for the latest journey information and travel advice.”
Michael Stewart, commercial & customer strategy director at Chiltern Railways, said: “These engineering works will make sure the railway is more reliable in the future and we thank customers for their patience while the works are being carried out.
“Please remember to check your journeys in advance of travelling on Sunday as they will be subject to disruption and may involve a rail replacement bus.”
Passengers should check www.nationalrail.co.uk for the latest journey information and travel advice.
Contact Information
Notes to editors
- Chiltern Railways is part of the Arriva group, one of the leading providers of passenger transport in Europe, employing around 38,000 people and delivering around 1.5 billion passenger journeys across 10 European countries.
- Chiltern operates commuter/regional rail passenger services from its Central London terminus at London Marylebone along the M40 corridor to destinations in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, as well as long-distance services to the West Midlands along two routes. Services on the Chiltern Main Line run from London Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill, Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford, with some peak-hour services to Stourbridge Junction.
- Chiltern also runs trains on the London to Aylesbury Line to Aylesbury (with some trains terminating at Aylesbury Vale Parkway instead), on the Princes Risborough to Aylesbury and Oxford to Bicester branch lines.