UK’s Network Rail has completed £148m worth of upgrade works across the railway network in a bid to improve infrastructure and services.
The work was carried out as part of the Christmas programme of investment and involved 330 projects across the country.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
A total of 25,000 workers, including engineers, project managers, track layers and station staff, was deployed to deliver the work on time.
Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said: “Over Christmas and New Year, thousands of rail workers have been working round the clock to keep the railway running and to deliver crucial improvements to the network as part of the £50bn railway upgrade plan.
“Our decision to do work at this time of year is entirely based on the fact that many regular passengers take this time as a holiday, so it causes disruption to the smallest number of people.”
Major projects that were completed during the Christmas period include modernisation of the overhead wiring system at Forest Gate station, installation of tracks at Battersea Pier and improved reliability at Heathrow Airport junction.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataNetwork Rail also replaced old switches and crossings, as well as changing the track layout between Bedford and Kettering as part of the Midland Main Line Upgrade.
Signalling upgrade works in Merseyside as part of the Weaver to Wavertree re-signalling project were also completed.
A team of 35 workers were assigned to transfer the control of the signalling system from the Integrated Electronic Control Centre (IECC) to the Rail Operating Centre (ROC) in York.
In addition, Network Rail completed other track renewals, signalling upgrades and platform extension works across the country.
