Disruption for GWR, CrossCountry and Transport for Wales trains

Replacement buses will be in operation at Worcester Foregate Street and Worcester Shrub Hill.

This comes as Network Rail begins work on upgrading tracks which will see trains unable to stop at Cheltenham Spa and Ashchurch for Tewkesbury.

As such, Great Western Railway, CrossCountry and Transport for Wales services will all be affected for the next three weekends.

On top of this, rail improvement work in the Bromsgrove area will affect CrossCountry trains between Birmingham New Street and Gloucester.

Mark Parker, project manager for Network Rail, said: “As ever, we’re grateful for the patience of the travelling public and of local residents, while this work to upgrade the track takes place.

“Once complete, these track renewals will ensure the continued safe and reliable running of the railway.”

Replacement buses are planned to run non-stop every hour between Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa, as well as between Birmingham New Street and Worcestershire Parkway, Cheltenham Spa or Gloucester.

Great Western Railway will also be operating replacement buses every two hours between Gloucester and Worcester Shrub Hill or Worcester Foregate Street, stopping at all stations.

Passengers are reminded that trains will continue to run between Oxford and Worcester, Great Malvern or Hereford.

However, buses will replace trains between Oxford and Didcot Parkway, en route to London, until Saturday, June 10.

The track renewals due to take place in Cheltenham will affect the weekends of 6/7, 13/14 and 20/21 May.

Network Rail say this work will “ensure the ongoing safety of a key route”.

Ben Scott, GWR’s Station Manager for Cheltenham Spa, added: “These track improvements are part of an ongoing programme of work that will enable us to maintain services for customers travelling through Gloucestershire.

“We’re working with other train companies to provide alternative transport to ensure our customers can still complete their journeys during these weekends.”