Stretch of railway between Woodbridge and Westerfield to close for week in August for renewal works, affecting services between Saxmundham and Ipswich

A stretch of railway line in East Suffolk will close for a week in August for renewal works.

Around 1.7 kilometres of track between Woodbridge and Westerfield will undergo a revamp from August 10 to 16, including renewing rail, sleepers and ballast as part of a wider refurbishment plan for the East Suffolk Line.

The work will affect Greater Anglia services every day from Sunday, August 11 to Friday August 16 between Ipswich and Saxmundham.

Buses will replace trains between the two towns, while services will continue to run between Saxmundham and Lowestoft.

Lawrence Bowman, Network Rail’s route director for the area, said: “The East Suffolk line continues to see investment being made to update sections of track, some of which is 100 years old, to support a modern service.

“There is never a good time to close a section of railway but having a longer period to work means we can do so much more with the time and it means a better and reliable railway for our customers.”

Jointed track will be replaced with continuously welded rail which will reduce noise from passing trains and give passengers a smoother ride.

It is a follow up to last year’s work to stabilise a mile long section of embankment which was slipping away and risking important signalling equipment falling down potentially affecting the safe and reliable running of the line.

The repairs will improve passenger journeys and prepare the line to accommodate increased freight traffic.

Sizewell C will be utilising railway alongside sea routes for the delivery of components to avoid road disruption where possible.

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: “This work is extremely important to help maintain the safe and reliable running of the railway and make it fit for the future.

“We would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while this work is carried out.”

During the works period, customers are advised to check before they travel and allow more time for journeys.