ONE of the biggest Easter works programmes ever carried out on the rail network is going to affect Cornwall.

On the Western route, Network Rail will be working over the Easter period to deliver a £37m slice of the company’s £40bn Railway Upgrade Plan.

The upgrade work includes track lowering and station improvements between Bath and Bristol to prepare the Great Western Main Line for the arrival of a new fleet of longer, faster, quieter and greener electric trains.

This programme of improvement work will begin late on Thursday, March 24, once the last trains have run, and has been timed to take advantage of a relatively quieter time of the year when, on average, fewer than half the usual 4.5m people use the railway each day – enabling Network Rail and train operators to minimise disruption as much as possible.

As the majority of this work can only take place when trains aren’t running, some services in the Thames Valley and West Country will be affected.

A comprehensive advertising campaign is under way to make sure passengers are able to make informed decisions about their travel over the Easter period.

Mark Langman, Network Rail’s managing director for the Western route, said: ‘I’m acutely conscious that many people want to use the railway during the Easter holidays but with fewer people travelling by train over this period it is a good time to undertake these massive improvement projects.

‘The number of people travelling by rail continues to grow to record levels. 

‘Our work this Easter forms a key part of our Railway Upgrade Plan to meet surging demand and improve and expand our congested railway network.’

Passengers travelling through the West Country and Thames Valley over Easter are advised to check their journeys at www.national

rail.co.uk or www.gwr.com