"Sorry for the disruption" - Rail and road closures between Portsmouth and Guildford from September to November as Network Rail upgrade Portsmouth Direct signalling
Staggered rail and road closures are set to begin next week as Network Rail upgrade signalling between Portsmouth and Guildford.
The closures are set to begin on September 27 and will continue until November 13 as part of the final stage of the Portsmouth Direct signalling upgrade.
Train services will be affected with weekend closures in place as nine level crossings are upgraded from manual operations to new technology including Obstacle Detection (OD) and CCTV control. 90 new signals and 17 new signalling equipment buildings have also been installed and constructed and will be tested during the line closures.
There will be changes to train services during four weekend closures between Guildford and Havant which are taking place on September 27-28, October 4-5, October 11-12 and October 18-19. A longer nine-day closure will then run from Saturday, October 25 to Sunday, November 2.
During these closures, Network Rail advises passengers to check before they travel as services and journey times will be revised.
Speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway, Mark Goodall, Wessex Route Director, said: “We appreciate that there is never a good time to close the railway and we’re sorry for the disruption this will cause. However, these closures are essential to complete the vital upgrade of the Portsmouth Direct line. By carrying out the majority of work during the October half-term - when fewer people travel – we can minimise disruption while delivering long-term benefits.”
There will also be road closures during the rail disruption with level crossing between Farncombe and Liss affected. As well as road closures, there will also be longer barrier downtimes for drivers.
Mark Goodall said: "Drivers in the area will need to plan ahead and may need to take alternative routes when the roads around level crossings are closed. We know that waiting longer at a level crossing is frustrating for drivers but the biggest changes in barrier downtime are as a result of upgrading some of the most dangerous level crossings on the line.”
The road closures will be staggered to minimise disruption, starting on Liss Common on September 27 and finishing at Farncombe West on November 13. The full list of closures can be found below:
- Liss Common ( September 27 to October 24)
- Kings Fernsden (October 4 to October 24)
- Princes Bridge (October 11 to October 25)
- Milford (October 18 to November 2)
- Petersfield (October 25 to November 2) – Night-time closure (10pm to 6am)
- Liss (October 26 to November 2)
- Sheet (October 25 to November 2 and November 8 to November 9)
- Farncombe East (October 25 to November 2) – Night-time closure (10pm to 6am)
- Farncombe West (October 25 to November 13)
The increases in barrier downtime can be found below:
- Liss Common – An increase of two minutes, two seconds
- Kings Fernsden – An increase of two minutes, 24 seconds
- Princes Bridge – An increase of one minute, 38 seconds
- Milford – An increase of one minute, 48 seconds
- Petersfield – An increase of six seconds
- Liss – No expected increase
- Sheet – An increase of two minutes, 23 seconds
- Farncombe East – No expected increase
- Farncombe West – No expected increase
Work on the level crossings will upgrade automatic half-barrier crossings to modern barriers with obstacle detection. Convert some crossings so they are monitored by CCTV or obstacle detection systems, and update footpath crossings with miniature stop lights for added safety.