Railway station to shut for nine days for upgrade

The short-term disruption from the works will lead to a more reliable service, transport bosses say

The busiest railway station in the north-west of England is set to close for nine days for a "major overhaul" which aims to "significantly reduce disruption" on trains.

Manchester Piccadilly will shut on 14 February next year for upgrades to tracks, points and signalling systems, with work due for completion on 22 February.

During the works, services normally running to and from the station will terminate at other stations, including Stockport.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said investment in rail infrastructure was crucial to deliver a "reliable and resilient railway" for passengers.

TfGM's Simon Elliott, said: "While unfortunately there will be some short-term disruption, we're committed to working with rail industry colleagues to ensure people can still move easily across Greater Manchester while these essential upgrades take place."

No trains from the south and east of the city will run into Manchester Piccadilly.

Services normally running to and from Manchester Piccadilly will terminate at other stations, including Stockport

Some trains from across the north of the city will also be affected, as well as direct connections to Manchester Airport.

Network Rail, who are investing £7.9m in the upgrade, said it was a "critical stretch of the track", adding: "Any issues with the ageing infrastructure can disrupt all trains running in and out of Manchester."

Julien Dehornoy from Network Rail said the "long-awaited" work would "significantly reduce" disruption.

"Once the job is done, we will have a better, more reliable railway," he said.

"The major overhaul over six railway lines can only take place during a full railway closure and we are working closely with train operators, TfGM and Manchester City Council on alternative travel plans to keep people on the move, the full details on which will be published in mid-November."