A substantial overhaul of Britain’s west coast mainline is set to start in 2026, affecting millions of passengers over the next decade. The project involves replacing more than 150 miles of power lines, improving signaling, and upgrading tracks, deemed essential for maintaining train services between Scotland and England. Sections of the line will close for several weeks annually, causing significant disruption, with alternative bus services provided. Avanti West Coast, the operator, anticipates timetable changes but cannot confirm full impacts yet. The total estimated cost of the project could reach £3.8 billion over 10-15 years, highlighting longstanding infrastructure investment issues.
Millions of passengers will face a decade of severe disruption as a once-in-a-generation overhaul of one of Britain’s most important railways is set to begin.
Workers are set to begin replacing more than 150 miles of power lines on Britain’s west coast mainline next year.
The work, which also includes signal upgrades and track replacements, is seen as essential to maintaining passenger and freight train services between Scotland and England.
Planning documents say Network Rail will close sections of the line for several weeks each year once the project begins.
Engineers at the Times will take control of the line and suspend train service in three two-week periods each year in 2026, 2027 and 2028, according to people familiar with the industry.
Stations affected include Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan, Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith and Carlisle.
Alternative bus services are expected to be provided, but planners are bracing for delays across the UK, with disgruntled passengers unable to book a train between Scotland and London to get to their destination. I am concerned that I may have to fly to the airport.
One source told the newspaper that this would cause a level of disruption not seen in the past 25 years.
One source told the newspaper that this would cause a level of disruption not seen in the past 25 years. Photo: Passengers heading to Glasgow at London’s Euston station
The works, which will also involve signal upgrades and track replacements, are essential to maintaining passenger and freight train services between Scotland and England (Stock)
“A huge amount of planning is underway, but it is still in the early stages,” they said. “This is an important project to make the line fit for the future.”
Avanti Westcoast, which operates services between London and Scotland, said it was too early to say fully how timetables would be affected.
The company could be nationalized and placed under control of a Labor government as early as next year.
The West Coast Main Line, like the East Coast Line from London to Edinburgh and Aberdeen, is running at near full capacity and any suspension would have a significant impact on services.
The construction, which is scheduled to begin in 2026, aims to “renew” the West Coast trunk line rather than simply strengthen it. The complete construction plan is believed to include replacing 155 miles of overhead line installed when the line was electrified in 1974, as well as updating 140 miles of track and replacing 2,000 signaling devices. There is.
Avanti West Coast, which operates services between London and Scotland, said it was too early to say fully how timetables would be affected.
It has been suggested that the final bill could reach £3.8bn over 10 to 15 years, but Network Rail has not been able to confirm the total cost.
The infrastructure operator is understood to plan to spend on the project until the end of the “control” period, which runs until 2028.
Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, has been lobbying for improved cross-border rail links for years.
“This shows how bad we are at making long-term investments in infrastructure, when you get to the point where you have to replace something that’s 50 years old,” he said.
He added: “HS2 was supposed to be the long-term solution for the West Coast Main Line because it was suffering from congestion.” It is becoming increasingly difficult to understand how to transition from aviation to rail. ”
HS2 was scrapped between Birmingham and Manchester by former chancellor Rishi Sunak to save costs.
