Track upgrade work to cause travel disruption

Network Rail said the track improvements in Sheffield will create smoother journeys

Rail passengers are warned to expect disruption to their journeys due to five days of engineering work in Sheffield.

East Midlands Railway, TransPennine Express, CrossCountry and Northern services in South Yorkshire and further afield are set to be affected between Monday and Friday.

Network Rail said improvements on a stretch between Dore & Totley railway station and Sheffield were required as the track dates back to 1976.

The work would create smoother journeys and avoid the need for longer term speed restrictions, it added, which would cause greater passenger disruption.

The project aims to refresh a 2.7km (1.7 mile) section of the route with new rails, sleepers and ballast.

During the works, changes to rail services include:

• Only one East Midlands Railway service an hour between Sheffield and London St Pancras

• The service will be diverted via Beighton and will call at Chesterfield before continuing south

• Other hourly Sheffield to London St Pancras services will start at Derby

• Northbound services from London St Pancras will terminate at Derby, with those travelling to Sheffield and Chesterfield requiring a rail replacement bus

• Services between Nottingham and Liverpool will not call at Chesterfield or Sheffield and there will be no direct service between Matlock and Nottingham

• TransPennine Express warns its services between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield would alternate between diverted trains and replacement bus services

• CrossCountry says alternative rail services will operate between Sheffield, Chesterfield and Derby

• Northern warns trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield will run between Manchester Piccadilly and New Mills Central only

• Trains between Leeds and Nottingham will run between Leeds and Sheffield only

Philippa Cresswell, East Midlands Railway customer service director, apologised for the disruption and urged customers to plan ahead.

"Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated as we work towards a better, more efficient railway network for everyone," she said.

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.