Dates confirmed for Derbyconfirmed

BRITISH infrastructure manager Network Rail (NR) and train operators CrossCountry and East Midlands Trains have announced that the £200m remodelling of track and signalling in the area around Derby station will be upgraded during 79-days of engineering, starting on July 22 2018.

The engineering will mean significant changes to the timetable between July 22 2018 and October 7 2018, which will be published early in 2018, and will impact services to London, Crewe, Matlock and Nottingham.

CrossCountry services will be diverted around Derby, with a bus replacement service from Derby to connecting stations.

NR says the upgrade is necessary due to passenger numbers doubling in the past 20 years, with demand set to continue to grow.

Few alterations have been made to the track layout and signalling over the last 50 years and the infrastructure is nearing the end of its operational life. The station and platforms, however, were modernised in 2013.

“It is many decades since the rail infrastructure at Derby saw this kind of investment and we have spent a huge amount of time working with our train operators, stakeholders and local businesses to make sure we keep disruption to a minimum while getting the vital work done as quickly as possible,” says NR’s managing director for the London North Eastern and East Midlands route, Mr Rob McIntosh. “Derby is a key interchange on the Midland Main Line and once the upgrade is complete and the bottleneck removed, the region will benefit from a more efficient, reliable and modern network fit to meet the needs of the economies and communities.”