Rail passengers travelling between Shrewsbury and Hereford face significant disruption this weekend, with a full line closure in effect from today due to urgent repair work.
The closure was necessitated by the discovery of a collapsed culvert during a safety inspection of the track between Craven Arms and Church Stretton. Network Rail teams are on site and working around the clock to complete the essential repairs.
As a result of the damage, train services on the affected route have been suspended and are being replaced by road transport. Bus replacement services are operating between Hereford and Shrewsbury, as well as between Llandrindod and Shrewsbury, to help passengers complete their journeys.
Passengers are strongly advised to check their travel plans before setting off and to allow extra time for their journeys due to the disruption. Further updates and detailed travel information are available on the Transport for Wales website at tfw.wales.
Network Rail’s engineering teams are working to restore the railway to safe operation as quickly as possible. Initial estimates suggest repairs will continue into Tuesday, April 29th. However, Network Rail cautions that this timeline may be subject to change once excavations have started and the full scale of the damage beneath the tracks is better understood.
Replacement bus services will remain in place for the duration of the disruption.
Colin Lea, Transport for Wales’ Planning and Performance Director, said: “We’ve had to close a section of the railway between Hereford and Shrewsbury on the Marches Line due to infrastructure issues. Network Rail teams are now on-site and working on fixing the problem. Rail replacement buses are available, but services will be disrupted. Please check before you travel. Thanks for your patience.”
Rachel Heath, Operations Director for Network Rail Wales and Borders, commented: “We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and ask passengers for their patience while we carry out these critical repairs to keep the railway safe. Our teams are working as quickly and safely as possible to resolve the issue.”
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