GREAT Western Railway trains between Taunton and Weston-super-Mare will be replaced by buses when essential maintenance work is carried out at the beginning of February.

Network Rail will carry out structural renewal work on the route affecting train services from Monday, February 3, until Friday, February 7.

Trains between Taunton and Weston-super-Mare will not operate during this time, with replacement buses available instead.

Some trains will operate between Taunton and Bristol Temple Meads by using an alternative route, extending journey times by up to an hour. However, services between Taunton and London Paddington or the South West, and Weston-super-Mare and London Paddington or Cardiff Central via Bristol Temple Meads, will continue to run unaffected.

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Adam Hopkins, GWR’s station manager for the Taunton area, said: “This work forms part of an ongoing programme of investment, helping to ensure we can continue to provide consistent and reliable services.

“GWR trains will still run between London Paddington and Taunton or Weston-super-Mare, while CrossCountry trains will run between Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton via a diversionary route.

“Rail replacement services will be provided for those stations between Taunton and Weston-super-Mare.

“As an alternative, rail tickets can also be used to travel on local buses calling at Weston-super-Mare, Highbridge & Burnham, Bridgwater or Taunton.”

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Network Rail programme manager Scott Pillinger said: "We have essential maintenance and repair work taking place on multiple bridges over this five-day period, ranging from strengthening works to full replacement.

“Alongside this there will be drainage work and some track work, all of which is vital to ensure the continued safe and reliable running of the railway.

“Working over a solid week is the most efficient way to get this work completed and minimise disruption overall but I'd like to thank passengers and residents for their patience while this work is carried out."

For the latest information, visit GWR.com/Upgrade.