Shrewsbury to Chester rail revamp to finish 18 months behind schedule

Network Rail has announced that work to replace signalling cable on the route will not start until March.

It will also see the stretch of the line between Shrewsbury and Gobowen closed for 24 hours.

The work is part of a £44 million Welsh Assembly-funded project to double a section of the line in North Wales, which will lead to an improved timetable in the future including more trains on the route and enable trains to travel at increased speeds of up to 90mph.

Most of the tracks and infrastructure between Rossett and Saltney junction, north of Wrexham, were put in place last autumn.

The project was on track to be finished by October last year until it was discovered that cable needed replacing and there was no money left in the budget to pay for it.

The line is the main route to North Wales for commuters and holidaymakers from Shropshire and the West Midlands.

Welsh Assembly member Mark Isherwood, who has been pressing Network Rail over the delays because of frustration from passengers, said he had just received confirmation of the dates of the work.

He said: "I am delighted that a date has now been given, although it is disappointing it has taken so long.

"Last October the project appeared nearly complete, with two lines of track in place and a lot of infrastructure done.

"Local rail users told me that at that time the Network Rail project engineer was saying that the work would be completed on time and on budget and passengers had expected trains to be using the two tracks during last winter.

"Work came to a stop when it was discovered that signalling cable needed replacing – something outside of the Network Rail budget for the job despite the £44 million allocated by the Welsh Government.

"The delays have been incredibly frustrating for passengers."

The conclusion of the project will reduce inconvenience for passengers who otherwise have to wait at Wrexham for a train to clear the long section before the next one proceeds.

Network Rail has released commissioning dates which include two closures of sections of the line.

The line will be closed north of Wrexham from March 24 until April 1 and between Shrewsbury and Gobowen in the early hours of April 9 and 10.