GWR train passengers face disruption amid upgrade works

Great Western Railway services will be affected over the weekend

Train services will be affected over the weekend due to rail improvement works taking place.

Signalling upgrade work means there will be no trains between Gloucester and Kemble or Yate on Saturday and Sunday.

Track renewals will also mean no train services can stop at Bristol Parkway on Sunday until after 17:00 GMT.

Replacement buses are planned between all affected destinations, Great Western Railway (GWR) said.

Trains between London Paddington and south Wales will be diverted via an alternative route - extending journey times by about 30 minutes.

On Sunday, GWR services will stop at Patchway instead of Bristol Parkway up until 17:00 BST - with connecting buses to and from Bristol Parkway.

Trains between London Paddington and Cheltenham Spa will run to Kemble instead of Cheltenham Spa, and services will run between Swindon and Kemble on Sunday.

Mark Parker, Network Rail project manager, said: "This is part of our continual work to make services safer and more reliable.

"Unfortunately, we do need to close the railway so our teams can work safely and most efficiently.

"We're sorry for the disruption but the benefits will be felt for decades to come."

Valid rail tickets can be used on the Y1, Y2 and Y6 buses between Bristol and South Gloucestershire, a spokesman for GWR added.