Network Rail has invested £2 million to upgrade track through a 175-year-old railway tunnel in Stoke-on-Trent which will make journeys more reliable for passengers travelling between Uttoxeter and Stoke-on-Trent. 

Next month, engineers will replace almost 1.6 kilometers of rail and supporting ballast and sleepers along both tracks through Meir railway tunnel to help more trains run on time.

The tracks, which run between Longton and Blythe Bridge stations, have not had any major work since 1968 and this essential upgrade will allow passengers to continue to use this route reliably for the next 50 years. 

Steve Hopkinson, East Midlands Operations Director for Network Rail said: "This tunnel holds so much history and is a vital part of the railway in Staffordshire, and these upgrades will make sure that passengers can continue to travel through it reliably well into the future.

"To do the work safely, we inevitably need to close the tunnel so there will be some changes to services and I'm sorry if this impacts people's plans. Our best advice is to allow some extra time and to check your journey before setting off."

Stoke-on-Trent train station, Station Road (Sarah Garner).

To carry out the work safely, the tunnel will be closed between Sunday 5 and Sunday 12 March. During this time, buses will replace trains between Uttoxeter and Stoke-on-Trent, ready for a normal train service to resume on Monday 13 March.

Passengers should plan ahead and check before they travel with National Rail or East Midlands Railway.

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