Transport hell for Christmas passengers: 2,500 trains to be hit by 32 days of engineering work

Brits traveling across the country over Christmas are facing unprecedented rail network closures. 32 days of work planned to cripple Britain’s main lines hit by 2,500 trains.

This means some journey times will triple, with 15 million passengers taking the train to visit family and friends over Christmas for two weeks.

The travel chaos will heap further misery on hard-pressed Britons who have had to deal with months-long national rail and tube strikes that have at times brought the country to a standstill.

Hundreds of new schemes will now be carried out and Network Rail’s £130 million work spree will be one of the highest sums ever spent during a festive season that saw more than 20,000 railway engineers called in.

Britain’s busiest route, the London-Glasgow west coast main line, will be partially closed for 22 days from December 24 to January 15, spelling misery not just for Christmas but also for the New Year.

The line will be cut at four locations throughout the month, near Milton Keynes, Preston, Carlisle and Oxenholme. From Preston to Edinburgh, usually 2 hours 30 minutes direct, from January 1 it will take 7 hours 2 minutes by three trains plus a bus.

The line between Leeds and York will be banned for 32 days from Christmas Day until January 26. Buses will operate until January 2, after which trains will be diverted.

Two of Britain’s busiest stations will also be closed.

London Liverpool Street will be closed for Eastbound journeys from 25 December until New Year’s Day; London Waterloo will not be available for trips to the Southwest from Christmas Day until 29 December, with a reduced service until 2 January. Stratford and Clapham Junction will face overcrowding.

Airport passengers will be delayed due to no Heathrow or Gatwick Express services and no trains between Stansted Airport and Cambridge from Christmas Day until 5 January.

Many other projects will also be implemented across the country.

Around 2,500 trains will be delayed, canceled or unable to run their entire routes over the Christmas period, according to Network Rail data.

Bruce Williamson, spokesman for passenger campaign group Railfuture, said: ‘This Christmas looks set to be one of the biggest ever work packages on the railways.

‘The scale of the business shows how much investment has been made. Some jobs are so big that they need to be done all at once.

‘Inevitably there will be some disruption to travel. But inconvenience is the price of having a better railway. I hope passengers understand that investment is necessary.’

Natasha Grice, from independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: ‘Engineering work that minimizes the impact on traveling passengers is important.

‘Passengers want staff to be available to help at all times and also to communicate clearly and effectively.’

Rail Delivery Group, which represents train companies, said on the National Rail website: ‘A number of significant engineering projects will be carried out. ‘Plan and check your journey before you travel.’

London Liverpool Street (pictured) will be closed for Eastbound journeys from 25 December until New Year’s Eve

Daniel Mann, director of industry operations at Rail Delivery Group, said: ‘We would ask you to allow extra time for journeys. ‘The industry is working hard to provide as many services as possible.’

Network Rail said: ‘More than 95 per cent of the rail network will be open for business this Christmas and New Year.’

Network Rail’s chief network operator, Helen Hamlin, said: ‘The period between Christmas and New Year is the railway’s quietest period, so it is the best time to undertake major projects.

‘We are working with train operators to organize replacements and derailment buses. It’s important to plan ahead, especially as we have huge plans to improve the railway this Christmas. Thank you everyone for your patience.’