Buses to replace trains during rail works

Track replacement and drainage work around Newbury will affect train services across two weekends next month.

Network Rail will replace track between Theale and Bedwyn and will complete flood alleviation work on the lines.

Buses will replace trains between Reading and Newbury or Bedwyn on the weekends of 6 June and 7 June and 13 June and 14 June.

Other replacement transport is also planned between Newbury, Kintbury and Hungerford, plus between Pewsey and Swindon.

Train services between Reading and Basingstoke will be unaffected.

Great Western Railway (GWR) said trains between London Paddington and Plymouth, Newquay and Penzance will use an alternative route through Swindon.

Mark Parker, Network Rail portfolio manager, said: "We'll be replacing track that's reached the end of its working life and improving the drainage to help the area cope better with heavy rain.

"We're sorry to have to close the railway temporarily but we need to keep our teams safe and complete the work as quickly as possible."

Tom Butler, GWR's Newbury station manager, said he was sorry for any potential inconvenience but that it would help the company "maintain our train services in the area for years to come".