COMMUTERS will be severely affected by disruption to trains when work to improve the railway gets underway this month.

Great Western Railway trains in Worcestershire will be severely affected by the rail improvement work in September.

Network Rail will be replacing the track between Worcestershire Parkway and Hereford, while additional work will be completed on the railways in Worcester.

Over the weekend of September 7 and 8 on Saturday trains will run between London Paddington and Great Malvern.

On Sunday trains will operate between London Paddington and Worcestershire Parkway, plus between Bristol Temple Meads and Gloucester.

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CrossCountry train services will still run between Worcestershire Parkway, Ashchurch for Tewkesbury, Cheltenham Spa and Gloucester.

West Midlands Railway services will run between Birmingham New Street and Great Malvern via Worcester Foregate Street/Worcester Shrub Hill.

Replacement buses are planned between:

  • Great Malvern and Hereford (both dates)
  • Worcestershire Parkway and Great Malvern/Hereford (Sun)
  • Gloucester and Worcester Foregate Street (Sun)

Saturday, September 7

  • Great Malvern and Hereford

Sunday, September 8

  • Great Malvern and Hereford
  • Worcestershire Parkway and Great Malvern
  • Worcestershire Parkway and Hereford
  • Gloucester and Worcester Foregate Street

Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15

  • Great Malvern and Hereford

Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22

  • Worcester Shrub Hill and Great Malvern
  • Worcester Shrub Hill and Hereford

Billy White, GWR Station manager for Oxford, Didcot and North Cotswolds, said: “This improvement work forms part of an ongoing programme of maintenance, helping to ensure we can continue to provide consistent and reliable services.

“Rail replacement services will be provided over the next three weekends where we are not able to operate trains.

“However, these alternative travel arrangements may make journeys longer so please check before you travel.”

Clarisse Grother, Network Rail's senior programme manager, said: "We're grateful to passengers and to residents who live close to the railway for their patience during this engineering work.

"This vital maintenance will enable the continued safe and reliable running of the railway.

"Passengers are advised to check before travelling."