Throughout December Network Rail will be investing into the East Midlands’ railway, seeing the delivery of better stations, more reliable journeys and providing power to the ongoing Midland Main Line electrification scheme.
Station improvements will see a second, brand-new footbridge lifted into St Albans station on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th December, enhancing the passenger experiences as they traverse the network around busy times. Running concurrently, over the next two weekends, beginning on the 3rd and culminating on the 11th of December, engineers will push forward with the multi-million-pound Midland Main Line electrification scheme. This will see the installation of train-powering overhead line equipment upgraded south of Bedford.
Tracks through Main Street bridge in Market Harborough will be lowered over this period, ensuring that the way is cleared for the overhead electric wire’s future installation. Guaranteeing the future electrification of rail routes directly supports the Government’s ambitions to achieve Net-Zero through decarbonisation of the public transport sector, whilst also achieving more reliable journeys through the requisite infrastructural upgrades necessary to provide this electrification.
Gary Walsh, East Midlands Route Director for Network Rail said:
“Over the next two weekends, we’ll be powering ahead with improvements across the East Midlands to deliver a better railway for passengers and improve St Albans station.
“We’ve worked with our train operating colleagues to keep as many people moving as we can by using road replacements and diversions
Due to these works, services between Luton and London St Pancras will see changes throughout the two weekends, accompanied by bus replacement services between Leicester and Kettering via Market Harborough on the 10th and 11th December.
Neil Grabham, Customer Services Director for EMR said:
“We are asking any customers planning to travel to or from London over the next few weekends to plan ahead and allow plenty of time to complete their journeys.
“Strike action will also affect EMR services on Saturday 3 December, we will be running a significantly reduced train service on all of our routes. More details can be found on the EMR website.
“We would like to thank our passengers for their patience whilst Network Rail make progress on the electrification of the Midland Main Line and strike action is taking place.”
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