Latest news with #WestMidlandsRailway
Scottish Sun
15-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Busy UK train line to shut for a WEEK sparking ‘severe disruption' for thousands of passengers – check dates to avoid
Latest shutdown follows a number of delays and cancellations on busy line RAIL FAIL Busy UK train line to shut for a WEEK sparking 'severe disruption' for thousands of passengers – check dates to avoid Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BUSY UK train line is set to shut for a week causing severe disruption. Passengers using the mainline links in the Midlands are being reminded that no trains will run for seven days this month. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The Cross City Line will reopen as normal on Monday August 4 Credit: Shutterstock Train bosses have apologised in advance for the inconvenience after announcing the northern section of the Cross City Line between Birmingham and Lichfield is shutting down for repairs. There will be no services between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley from Monday July 28 until Sunday August 3 inclusive. The line will reopen as normal on Monday August 4. The latest shutdown follows a number of delays and cancellations earlier this month. Damaged electrical wires meant some lines in and out of Birmingham were blocked, causing disruption to services. To help keep passengers moving during the seven-day closures at the end of this month, there will be temporary measures in place. These include: A rail replacement bus service will run between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, and between Birmingham New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway. Train services will continue to run as normal between Birmingham New Street and Redditch/Bromsgrove on the southern section of the Cross City line. Services to Rugeley Trent Valley will be diverted via Aston, with slightly extended journey times. The original closure was needed to install an HS2 viaduct, with further Network Rail work – including earthwork repairs, cutting back vegetation, track maintenance and improvements – planned to make the most of the line being closed. While the viaduct will now be installed at a later date, the other work will continue. This is in addition to Birmingham City Council's ongoing strengthening and refurbishment work on the A38(M) Tame Valley Viaduct. The viaduct runs directly above the railway. HS2 finally gets under way as world's longest tunnelling machine prepares to start digging Denise Wetton, Network Rail's Central route director, said: 'Everything was done to plan this work to cause the least disruption to the fewest number of people, while completing the most amount of maintenance work as possible. "There is never a good time for closures like this and I am sorry for the inconvenience, but school holidays and summer breaks means passenger numbers will be lower than normal. 'Passengers should check with West Midlands Railway and National Rail Enquiries for travel information, and I want to thank passengers in advance for their patience.' Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, said: "I'd like to thank our customers for their patience while the northern section of the Cross City Line is closed. "We'll be running replacement buses throughout the work to keep our customers moving and I'd urge passengers to check their travel before setting out and allow extra time for their journeys.' Passengers can plan their journey and check before they travel at and with West Midlands Railway at You can follow all the latest Network Rail news and updates here.
The Irish Sun
15-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Busy UK train line to shut for a WEEK sparking ‘severe disruption' for thousands of passengers – check dates to avoid
A BUSY UK train line is set to shut for a week causing severe disruption. Passengers using the mainline links in the Midlands are being reminded that no trains will run for seven days this month. 1 The Cross City Line will reopen as normal on Monday August 4 Credit: Shutterstock Train bosses have apologised in advance for the inconvenience after announcing the northern section of the Cross City Line between Birmingham and Lichfield is shutting down for repairs. There will be no services between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley from Monday July 28 until Sunday August 3 inclusive. The line will reopen as normal on Monday August 4. The latest shutdown follows a number of Read more in News Damaged electrical wires meant some lines in and out of Birmingham were blocked, causing disruption to services. To help keep passengers moving during the seven-day closures at the end of this month, there will be temporary measures in place. These include: A rail replacement bus service will run between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, and between Birmingham New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway. Train services will continue to run as normal between Birmingham New Street and Redditch/Bromsgrove on the southern section of the Cross City line. Services to Rugeley Trent Valley will be diverted via Aston, with slightly extended journey times. Most read in The Sun The original closure was needed to install an HS2 viaduct, with further Network Rail work – including earthwork repairs, cutting back vegetation, track maintenance and improvements – planned to make the most of the line being closed. While the viaduct will now be installed at a later date, the other work will continue. This is in addition to Birmingham City Council's ongoing strengthening and refurbishment work on the A38(M) Tame Valley Viaduct. The HS2 finally gets under way as world's longest tunnelling machine prepares to start digging Denise Wetton, Network Rail's Central route director, said: 'Everything was done to plan this work to cause the least disruption to the fewest number of people, while completing the most amount of maintenance work as possible. "There is never a good time for closures like this and I am sorry for the inconvenience, but school holidays and summer breaks means passenger numbers will be lower than normal. 'Passengers should check with West Midlands Railway and National Rail Enquiries for travel information, and I want to thank passengers in advance for their patience.' Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, said: "I'd like to thank our customers for their patience while the northern section of the Cross City Line is closed. "We'll be running replacement buses throughout the work to keep our customers moving and I'd urge passengers to check their travel before setting out and allow extra time for their journeys.' Passengers can plan their journey and check before they travel at You can follow all the latest Network Rail news and updates here.
Telegraph
15-07-2025
- Telegraph
My £1,000-a-month commute is so hellish I'm forced to move to London
My mother often says that 'hell is not a place, it's other people'. But I have in fact come to discover that it is a place. That place, or rather journey, is the West Midlands Railway service to Milton Keynes Central. Every week, I spend hours on their trains. I'm often hit by delays or cancellations, and am nearly always late home, questioning my sanity as I sprint alongside hundreds of others to fight for a space. It should take an hour to get to work – taxi to the station, train to Euston, then four stops on the Victoria line. But one day last week, I spent a record seven hours of my life commuting. That's a full work day, and I had to pay for the privilege of being there. Now, after three years of spending nearly £1,000 a month on a journey that truly brings out the worst in humanity, I'm moving to London and saying goodbye to my savings. My monthly travel outgoings consist of taxis to and from the station, costing between £10 and £15. My peak-time return train journey costs £18.60, even with a 16-25 railcard. Then add another £5.80 a day for a sweltering ride on the Victoria line. In all, I spend an average of £247 a week, or £988 a month. It's no longer financially beneficial for me to continue living at home. A monthly ticket from Hemel Hempstead to Euston is £470.80 (railcard discounts don't apply), meaning it's actually more expensive than what I'm paying now. Even my 17-year-old brother spends £100 on train fares just to get to college... one stop away. In March, fares rose 4.6pc. At the same time, thousands of trains journeys go nowhere every year. On average, 3.4pc of UK trains are cancelled – rising to 4.3pc on West Midlands routes, lucky me! On top of cancellations, there are delays. Only 64pc of West Midlands trains run on time, and last year more than 200,000 trains were cancelled. Delays cause overcrowding. I'm often left without a seat, or forced to wait for the next train. Then, of course, there are the strikes which leave me stranded. This has left me facing the London dilemma. Do I pay more to rent in London and save my sanity? I stayed home while studying for a master's degree, planning to move out after, but couldn't afford to on the £22,000 salary I earned at my first job. I'm in a different position now, but moving will still significantly dent my bank balance. Unsurprisingly, I am not alone. More than half of all 20- to 24-year-olds still live at home. Moving to London is, financially, barely palatable. According to Spareroom, the listings site, the average price for rent in London is £980 per month. This excludes ever-rising council tax, groceries – and of course, the cost of a pint. But I think I might go mad if I spend too much time waiting for my train to never arrive. I just have to decide which financial stress suits me more. My number one priority when I move into the city is to cut down my commute. Thankfully, my housemates-to-be are keen to live fairly centrally. But £1,000 a month really does not go very far. I'll likely end up in an ex-council flat, with no outdoor space, dishwasher or nearby Tube station. I have friends who were forced to move out of their flat when water started pouring through their light fixtures and it was deemed potentially life-threatening to continue living there. Their landlord painted over the damage. Now, they're taking legal action to get their deposit back. While this may all sound like a first-world problem, I think it speaks to a wider issue of Britain's failing essential services. If I'm feeling forced to move into London, I can assume I'm not the only one. This is only going to contribute to the housing crisis in the capital and push rent prices up as rooms become even more competitive. Without living at home, I couldn't have afforded my master's degree or accepted a £22,000 salary to start my career. But most young people don't have that option. Now, I can barely afford to live rent-free because I'm being fleeced daily. Ultimately, I have been left with no choice. I'll be moving into London in two months. I'm not sure how I'll save for a house or have a life, but at least I won't be running for the train.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Yahoo
Cause of major delays at Birmingham New Street confirmed as problems continue
There has been severe disruption at one of Birmingham's main railway stations due to 'ongoing engineering works'. All services were delayed or cancelled at Birmingham New Street Station on Sunday (July 13) morning due to Network Rail works overrunning. West Midlands Railway announced issues with its services due to 'operational issues' shortly after 8am. And those problems are continuing. READ MORE: Birmingham New Street Station services hit by 'major problems' Now the cause of the major disruption to services has been revealed. A vehicle used to carry out the engineering works has got stuck in Canal Street Tunnel. A spokeswoman for West Midlands Railway said: 'The issues this morning are related to a Network Rail track possession that has overrun due to a broken down vehicle in the Canal St tunnel, meaning that no services have been able to operate in and out of New Street.' 'We have requested rail replacement buses for the Cross City Line and Coventry corridor and ticket acceptance is in place with National Express West Midlands, West Midlands Metro (trams) and Chiltern Railways. 'Customers for Hereford are being advised to travel from Snow Hill.' Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp, click the link to join The trains firm has said that issues on one Birmingham line – Cross City Line South – could be disrupted for a lot longer even after other services resume. 'Current estimates are that services are likely to be disrupted for most of the morning and the Cross City South potentially impacted for longer.' Get the latest BirminghamLive news direct to your inbox Network Rail has described the problems as being caused by a 'fault with a machine'. A spokesman for Network Rail said: 'We're very sorry to passengers whose journeys have disrupted through Birmingham New Street station this morning, as a result of over-running engineering work. 'This has been caused by a fault with a machine, which was being used as part of the work. 'This has unfortunately affected several routes through the station. 'Rail replacement bus services are in place: please check with your train operator, or on for the latest train running information.'
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Birmingham New Street Station services hit by 'major problems'
Services out of a main Birmingham railway station have been affected by overrunning engineering works. All services through Birmingham New Street were affected by an 'operational issue' on Sunday morning, July 13. West Midlands Railway said there were 'major problems' for all services through the station. READ MORE: Busy Birmingham commuter routes face week-long summer shutdown The Cross City Line South service, from Redditch and Bromsgrove to the city, was likely to be suspended all morning, it said. A West Midlands Railway spokeswoman said: 'There were engineering works across a section of the track near New Street last night by Network Rail. The work has overran so the track is still unusable for trains. 'We are hoping to have it back within an hour.' Get the latest BirminghamLive news direct to your inbox In a post on its social media channels the trains firm said: 'Operational issue at Birmingham New Street. 'All routes through Birmingham New Street are currently affected. The Cross City South is likely to be suspended all morning. 'Rail replacement transport has been ordered between Longbridge and Redditch. 'We have ticket acceptance with West Midlands Metro. We also have ticket acceptance with National Express West Midlands between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sutton Coldfield, Coventry and Longbridge.'
