Rail line closes for HS2 viaduct work

Rail passengers are being asked to plan ahead as part of a major commuter route shuts for three days for HS2 work.

No trains will run on the Cross City Line between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley between Friday and Sunday as a viaduct is installed.

Network Rail said services would operate as normal on the southern stetch of the line that runs between Birmingham New Street, Redditch and Bromsgrove.

Services between New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway will also be affected, the organisation said, with replacement buses running instead.

The buses will connect New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, and New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway.

Network Rail warned services to Rugeley Trent Valley would also be diverted, with journeys taking longer than usual.

The installation of the 150m-long (492.1ft) track which will carry HS2 trains over an existing Victorian viaduct between Duddeston and New Street, was described as "complex".

Engineers will continue sliding sections of it into place after the railway reopens, in an attempt to reduce overall disruption.

Patrick Cawley, director for on-network works at Network Rail and HS2, described the work as a "significant milestone" for the service's new Curzon Street terminus.

"While there will be some disruption, we've worked closely with partners to keep people moving and minimise the impact as much as possible," he said.

Jonny Wiseman from West Midlands Railway thanked passengers in advance for their patience and encouraged them to check travel plans before setting off.

It was announced earlier this month the high-speed rail line between London and Birmingham would not open until between 2036 and 2039 - up to six years later than the most recent target.

Despite costs being estimated to reach up to £102.7bn, the government has vowed to deliver the project "to completion".

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