Passengers taking trains between Bristol and Bath will find their train is a bus for four days next week, as the track through a tunnel under part of Bristol is being replaced.
There will be no train services at all between Bristol and Bath – including the stations of Keynsham and Oldfield Park – from Monday, October 28 to Thursday, October 31, and that means trains from Temple Meads to London will go up to the South Wales mainline at Bristol Parkway, and not call at Bath or Chippenham.
A replacement bus service is planned connecting Temple Meads in Bristol with Bath Spa station, but there’s going to be lengthy delays on the A4 as well.
Those rail replacement buses, the regular bus service and anyone else driving on the A4 between the two cities instead of taking the train are being warned that there are essential gas works taking place at the Globe roundabout between Bath and Keynsham on the A4.
That starts tomorrow, Friday, October 25, and runs until November 3, and while the road itself isn’t closed, there will be roadworks and traffic lights on the entire roundabout and ‘long delays expected’.
The railway line between Bristol and Bath is being closed completely because the track is being replaced in the St Anne’s Tunnel, which runs underneath St Anne’s and Brislington in Bristol.
Rail passengers heading into and out of Bath to the south east are also being warned of maintenance work. Network Rail are carrying out bridge repairs at Limpley Stoke – on the line between Bath and Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, and that means no trains between Bath and Westbury on Sunday, October 27. The bridge repairs will mean the closure of the B3108 at Winsley Hill, between 9pm and 6am each night next week, and more weekend closures in the weeks ahead.
“We’re grateful for people’s patience during this period, while we work on the railway,” said Network Rail boss Mark Parker. “It’s vital that these renewals and repairs are completed as they’re essential maintenance to allow the continued safe and reliable running of train services on this busy route,” he added.
Oana Apetroaie is the station manager for Bath Spa and Chippenham, and she’ll be managing buses too next week. “This improvement work forms part of an ongoing programme of maintenance, helping to ensure we can continue to provide consistent and reliable services.
“GWR will provide rail replacement services between Bath Spa and Bradford-on-Avon or Westbury on Sunday 27 October.
“We will then have replacement buses in place between Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads from Monday 28 until Thursday 31 October.
“However, please note that rail replacement services for Oldfield Park and Keynsham cannot stop immediately outside those stations.
“As an alternative, customers can also use their ticket to travel between Bath and Oldfield Park, Keynsham or Bristol on local buses. It’s important customers understand these alternative arrangements will make their normal journey times longer, so do plan ahead,” she added.