Travellers brace for chaos as Network Rail carries 530 upgrades over Easter weekend
Travellers will need to brace for disruption and chaos next month, as Network Rail announced it will carry out 530 project upgrades over the Easter bank holiday.
Even though the company reassured 95 per cent of trains will run as normal, works are expected to impact people’s ability to reach travel hubs such as Gatwick airport or Victoria station.
Re-signalling and crossing works at Clapham Junction will stop Southern trains from operating to and from Victoria, while services between Gatwick airport and Redhill will be reduced to one per hour due to enhancement works at the airport’s station.
Trains between Euston and Milton Keynes will be suspended because of track renewals and HS2 works.
“The majority of the railway will be open as usual this Easter for people to take a short break or visit loved ones, but some routes will be affected by our upgrade works, so we’re asking passengers to plan ahead and check their journeys in advance,” said Network Rail’s chief executive Andrew Haines.
“We’ll be carrying out hundreds of vital projects that will improve passengers’ journeys in future – for example by improving reliability and boosting capacity on the network.”
The £83m plan was announced on the same day the UK Government said it will remove all restrictions, including the passenger locator form, from this Friday, allowing Brits to return to pre-Covid tourism patterns.