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Archive
2003-08-21 DfT-001
Department for Transport
Transport Minister: short term pain for long term gain
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 Department for Transport
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Press release
Department for Transport
Transport Minister: short term pain for long term gain
Passengers, business and the tourist industry will feel the long term benefit of this weekend's rail engineering work, Minister for Transport Kim Howells argued today.
This weekend, Network Rail has planned 5 major areas of work on different sections of rail lines across the country. Passenger services will be affected, but alternative arrangements have been made. Kim Howells said:
"This weekend, thousands of men and women will be working around the clock, up and down the country to deliver a safer, faster and more reliable railway. Signals will be replaced and track renewed to bring tangible passenger benefits.
"We understand that some people travelling this weekend will be frustrated by line closures, but there is no easy time to do this work. It has been planned to cause the least disruption possible. During a normal weekday rush hour, double the number of people will travel than at any time this weekend.
"If you are planning to travel, check with train operators to confirm arrangements. Some journeys will take longer, but passengers should be assured that the long term gain will outweigh the short term pain."
Notes to Editors
1. The details of line closures are available from Network Rail. They include: Great Western main line closed Slough - Reading Sat - Mon. London Liverpool St to Stansted - closed Sun to Mon. West Coast Mainline closed Hemel to Milton Keynes - Sat to Sun. West Coast Mainline Stockport to Manchester Piccadilly closed Sat to Mon. East Coast Mainline closed Newark to Retford - Sat to Mon.
2. Passengers can get up to date information from
www.nationalrail.co.uk or 08457 48 49 50.
3. This year, Network Rail will replace around 700 miles of track compared with 200 under Railtrack.
Public Enquiries: 020 7944 8300
Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk
Railnews Archive ::: 2003-08-21 DfT-001
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