Rail replacement buses to replace trains between Birmingham and Lichfield over Easter
Rail replacement buses will be in place for passengers travelling between Birmingham and Lichfield as £4 million works to replace a bridge are carried out.
Transport chiefs said the Cross City line will be closed from April 7 to the early morning of April 11 as the essential work is carried out in Sutton Coldfield.
It will see the old bridge, which takes the Sutton Park freight line over the Cross City line, completely removed and a new one installed over the Easter period.
The current structure weighs a total of 64 tons and to remove it safely it will require a 111-ton mobile crane, with no trains running on the route as work starts.
Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s Central route director, said: “We know there’s never an ideal time to close the railway, so I’d like to thank people in advance for their patience ahead of this complex work to replace a bridge which carries freight trains over passenger services.
“This major investment has the dual benefit of making sure freight goods can travel by rail smoothly and reliably in future, as well as the thousands of people who travel daily on the important Cross City line below. My advice during the work is to please check National Rail Enquiries in advance and allow more time for your journey over Easter.”
Jonny Wiseman, West Midlands Railway customer experience director, added: “I'd like to thank our customers for their patience while Network Rail carries out these crucial upgrades to the railway at Sutton Coldfield.
"Rail replacement transport will be in operation on the north side of the Cross City line between Birmingham and Lichfield across the entire Easter weekend, so we are urging passengers to allow more time and plan their journeys carefully."
In recent weeks a site compound has been set up in the nearby Royal Mail delivery office on Station Approach and several of Sutton Coldfield station’s car parking spaces have been occupied by the project team.
No roads will be closed during the bridge upgrade but the footpath and railway footbridge which runs between Sutton College and the Sutton Park line will be closed temporarily.
Meanwhile passengers travelling south on the West Coast main line to London are advised that all trains will terminate at Milton Keynes from Good Friday to Easter Monday.
People are being advised to allow more time for their journeys and to plan ahead using nationalrail.co.uk.