Passengers urged to plan for nine-day Cross City line closure for HS2 viaduct work

The Cross City line between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley will close for nine days this summer while an HS2 viaduct is built near the new Curzon Street station.

The closure will mean no trains will run between Lichfield and Birmingham on the north side of the Cross City line between Saturday 26 July until Sunday 3 August. The line will reopen as normal on Monday 4 August.

Trains will continue to run normally between Birmingham New Street and Redditch/Bromsgrove on the southern section of the Cross City line.

To enable the safe completion of the complex bridge installation, train services between Birmingham and Tame Bridge Parkway will also be impacted.

A rail replacement bus service will be in use between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, and between Birmingham New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway. Services to Rugeley Trent Valley will also be diverted and take slightly longer.

The closure is needed to install a 16.5 metre-wide steel section of a new viaduct which will carry HS2 trains into Curzon Street over the existing Victorian brick viaduct that connects the route from Duddeston to Birmingham New Street.

Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s Central route director, said: “Everything has been done to plan this work to cause the least disruption to the fewest number of people. There is never a good time for closures like this and I am sorry for the inconvenience, but school holidays and summer breaks means passenger numbers are lower at this time of year.

“I understand that lots of journeys will be affected, which is why we are telling people as early as possible so they can plan ahead. Passengers should check with West Midlands Railway and National Rail Enquiries for travel information. Thank you to everyone for their patience while this vital work takes place.”

Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, said: "I’d like to thank our customers for their patience while this major piece of engineering work is carried out and the northern section of the Cross-City Line is closed. We’ll be running replacement buses throughout the work to keep our customers moving and I’d urge passengers to check their travel before setting out and allow extra time for their journeys.”

Standing 24 metres high, the striking new structure will be the tallest in a one-mile stretch of new viaducts carrying high-speed trains into Birmingham. The curved design will feature a unique light installation, set to become a new landmark on the city’s skyline.

Passengers can plan their journey and check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk and with West Midlands Railway at www.wmr.uk.