UK travel chaos looming for thousands at Christmas as Network Rail gives update

Thousands of travellers across the UK could be impacted by delays and cancellations over Christmas linked to major engineering work on some the country's busiest routes. Network Rail has warned passengers planning to visit relatives in December and January to check whether their routes will be impacted by a raft of large-scale improvement and maintenance works set to cost over £130 million. The plans will affect services in London, the Cambridge area, between Leeds and York and on the West Coast Main Line (WCML), among others, Britain's national rail network said.

In a statement on its website, the operator explained that the works had been planned for the festive season to coincide with less people travelling for business or work during the week. Those planning last-minute trips for Christmas Day could be especially impacted by the ensuing disruption, with a handful of projects set to kick off on December 24.

The project could continue into late January, Network Rail said, with the scheduled work impacting travel around London Waterloo and London Victoria and on the WCML between Preston and Carlisle.

There will be no trains between the two cities from December 31 to January 15 while a bridge on the M6 is replaced and no services between Milton Keynes and Rugby from Christmas Day and January 5, while a junction is replaced at Hanslope.

Similarly, journeys will be paused between Carlisle and Lockerbie from January 1 to 7 and no trains will run between Leeds and York from Christmas Day to January 26 while upgrades to signalling, track and power supply are underway.

Another improvement scheme will see services paused from Cambridge North, Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds and Stansted Airport from Christmas Day until January 5.

Engineering work in Bishopsgate tunnel and a refurbishment of London Liverpool Street Station will also mean no trains between Stratford and Liverpool Street between Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Services to and from Waterloo in London will be likewise suspended from Christmas Day until December 28, with limited services running until January 4, while worn-out track and points around Queenstown Road are repaired.

And the installation of a new railway bridge at Bowling in West Dunbartonshire means no trains will run between Dalmuir and Balloch/Helensburgh Central or between Glasgow Queen Street and Crianlarich in Scotland from December 24 to January 2.

While over 95% of the rail network is expected to operate as normal, the various planned works could have repercussions on the wider service, making it even more important for travellers to double-check their journeys ahead of time and book ahead.

Chief network operator Helen Hamlin said: "The period between Christmas and New Year is the quietest on the railway and it's the best time for us to do the major projects that will take longer than a night or a weekend to complete.

"We work with train operators to organise diversions and rail replacement buses for passengers who are travelling but it's still so important to plan ahead. That's especially the case this year as we have some very big plans for improving the railway that will mean people may have to travel home on different routes after Christmas than the way they travelled out. Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding and for planning ahead."