Travellers warned of Bank Holiday rail disruption

A South Western Railway spokesperson said the plan was to cause as few problems as possible

Travellers are being warned to plan ahead this Bank Holiday weekend as buses are set to replace trains in some parts of Surrey.

Lines connecting Ascot, Guildford and Alton will be closed between Saturday, 23 August and Monday, 25 August, while those linking Surbiton and Effingham Junction will also have no passenger services.

Disruption is expected as vital engineering improvements are carried out on the South Western Railway (SWR) network.

"We try to carry out our works during the least disruptive times, and bank holidays are when fewer passengers travel," said a spokesperson for SWR.

The remedial work will see engineers replacing the footbridge at Bentley station, between Farnham and Alton.

The old footbridge will be removed, with a crane lifting the new one into position.

In the Ash Vale area, teams will be carrying out improvements to the electrical supply to the track, as well as clearing vegetation and litter between Farnham and Alton.

Rail replacement bus services will run from Farnborough to Alton and also between Ascot and Guildford.

Fourteen of the long timbers which support the track are also being replaced in the Cobham & Stoke D'Abernon area, along with tree felling and survey taking.

Other minor work will be taking place near Effingham Junction, Horsley, London Road (Guildford) and in Bookham Tunnel.

Saturday and Monday will see buses replace trains between Surbiton and Effingham Junction, while trains between Guildford and Surbiton (via Effingham) and Leatherhead will get a replacement bus service on Sunday.

Speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway, Mark Goodall, Wessex route director, said: "We are grateful to our passengers for their patience whilst we carry out essential engineering work over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

"We are sorry for any inconvenience this causes and most of our route will remain open as usual.

"But some will be affected, so we're asking passengers to plan ahead and check before they travel."