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| Train Disruption Expected at Reading and Gatwick due to Rail Work |
Network Rail has announced signal upgrades and level crossing works in the Wokingham area, which will impact train services.
Replacement buses will be running between Reading and Gatwick Airport, as well as Reading and Bracknell, for the next week, according to the rail firm.
Passengers are urged to check their routes before traveling and allow extra time for their journeys. However, Network Rail noted that there would be a limited number of replacement buses available.
Starting Monday, passengers with valid tickets between Reading, Guildford, and Gatwick Airport can utilize them to travel on trains via Basingstoke, Woking, and Clapham Junction.
For those traveling from Farnborough North or North Camp, services can be accessed from Farnborough main and Ash Vale stations, respectively.
Andrew Gallaugher, assistant station manager at Reading, expressed gratitude to passengers in advance for their patience during this period of disruption.
Half-Term Closures
These improvement works are part of Network Rail's £116m Feltham and Wokingham re-signalling program, aimed at reducing delays.
Tom McNamee, the firm's Wessex route infrastructure director, emphasized the importance of the work in delivering a safe, modern, and reliable service for customers. He acknowledged that while there's never an ideal time to close the railway, scheduling the majority of the works during half-term, when rail travel is reduced and schools are closed, helps minimize disruption.
Track renewal work will also affect train services between Reading and Guildford on February 24th and 25th, with a bus replacement service in operation.