'Vital' safety work to cancel Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury trains for the next month
Sunday rail services between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton are being cancelled for the next next four weeks to enable safety work to take place.
Network Rail is strengthening railway embankments in Telford to reduce the risk of landslips after heavy rainfall.
The £1.1million scheme will see engineers work to protect sections of raised track this Sunday, February 27, as well as March 6, 13 and 20.
Network Rail says it will make journeys safer and more reliable for passengers and freight services on the route connecting the West Midlands and Shropshire and Wales.
Since trains are unable to run along the route during the work buses will be offered as a replacement.
Journeys will take longer and passengers are urged to check National Rail Enquiries so they know exactly know what to expect.
Bus replacement services will be in operation between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury, while direct services between London Euston and Shrewsbury will not run during the improvement work.
Trains will still run between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton.
Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s Central route director, said: "Three recent storms in just a week show why preventative work like this is vital to make the railway better able to cope from the impact of extreme weather.
"Strengthening these railway embankments in Telford will reduce the risk of them slipping and disrupting trains – if this happens it can mean lengthy delays if we have to make emergency repairs.
"I thank people in advance for their patience and I’d urge anyone planning journeys over these four consecutive Sundays to check before they travel using National Rail Enquiries."
Jonny Wiseman, West Midlands Railway customer experience director, added: “This important work will improve the resilience of the route between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury, reducing the risk of future cancellations due to flooding.
“I would like to thank our customers for their patience while the line is out of action on these Sundays and urge anyone needing to travel to plan ahead carefully.”
