(Image: Network Rail)
RAIL passengers in York and North Yorkshire are braced for journeys being extended by up to 60-minutes and rail replacement coaches due to improvement works on the East Coast Main Line.
The disruption will affect services on Sunday, October 18, as trains are diverted between Doncaster and Peterborough, with rail replacement coaches serving intermediate stations, as Network Rail carries out engineering work at several sites.
Passengers on LNER, Hull Trains, Lumo and Grand Central are said to be affected by the works.
John Grainger, joint head of performance for LNER and Network Rail East Coast, said: "We’re carrying out a series of upgrades along the East Coast Main Line to help deliver a more reliable railway for passengers and freight operators.
"These improvements will help reduce the risk of infrastructure faults, improve resilience during severe weather and support smoother, more reliable journeys.
"We’re grateful to passengers for their patience and understanding while we carry out this essential work."
Almost 670 metres of rail will be replaced near Newark, and nearly 50 metres of drainage will be renewed at Grantham station.
Repairs will be carried out to brickwork at Stoke Tunnel, south of Grantham, and electrical components between Grantham and Bullpit Lane level crossing, Balderton will be renewed and replaced.
A spokesperson for the train operators said: "These improvements are an important investment in the East Coast Main Line.
"While the work is taking place, some services will be amended and journey times may be longer than usual.
"We encourage customers to check before they travel and allow extra time for their journeys.
"We’d like to thank passengers for their understanding while these upgrades are carried out, helping to improve the reliability and resilience of the railway for years to come."
Passengers are advised to check their entire journey in advance with their train operator or via National Rail.