Month-long rail closure planned as part of major North Wales line upgrade

Nation.Cymru staff

Passengers on one of Wales’ busiest railway routes could face up to four weeks of disruption next year as Network Rail prepares a major programme of improvement works.

The organisation is developing plans for an extended closure of the North Wales Coast line between Chester and Holyhead in January 2027 to allow a series of upgrades to be carried out.

The work is expected to include track renewals, drainage improvements, vegetation clearance and the installation of new accessible footbridges at Prestatyn and Pensarn stations.

Network Rail said carrying out the work during a single continuous closure would allow projects to be completed more quickly and at lower cost than a series of weekend and overnight possessions spread across a longer period.

The programme forms part of wider investment in the North Wales railway network, following the introduction of a new timetable in May which increased Transport for Wales services on the route by 50%.

January has been identified as the preferred period for the closure because it is generally one of the quieter months for tourism, with many holiday parks and visitor attractions closed.

Rail replacement services are expected to operate during the disruption, with full travel arrangements to be announced once plans have been finalised.

Network Rail said the improvements are intended to increase reliability, improve accessibility and support future growth in passenger numbers.

Emma Osborn, passenger strategy director for Network Rail Wales and Borders, said the scheme would be one of the biggest upgrades to the route in recent years.

She said: “We know any closure of the railway will cause temporary disruption and we do not take that lightly.

“However, growth and improvement require investment, and investment on this scale inevitably means carrying out major engineering work.”

She added that the work would help support the enhanced services introduced this year and improve the long-term resilience of the railway.

Network Rail has already begun consulting local communities on plans for the new footbridges and said it would continue discussions with local authorities, transport operators, businesses and elected representatives as the project develops.