RAILWAY lines will be closed between Worcester and Evesham as well as Cheltenham Spa this bank holiday weekend.

Engineering works will take place between Evesham and Worcester Shrub Hill meaning commuters will have to use a bus replacement service.

From Saturday May 26 until Wednesday May 30 engineering work will take place on the North Cotswolds line.

Trains from London Paddington to Hereford or Worcester will now terminate at Evesham.

Services from London Paddington via Swindon for Cheltenham Spa/Worcester Shrub Hill will not run on Saturday 26, Sunday 27 or Monday 28 due to engineering work in the Swindon area.

On Tuesday May 29 and Wednesday May 30 services between London Paddington and Worcester Shrub Hill via Swindon will terminate at Cheltenham Spa.

Services from Westbury or Bristol Temple Meads for Worcester/Great Malvern will also terminate at Cheltenham Spa on all dates.

West Midlands Trains will run between Hereford and Worcester on Tuesday May 29 and Wednesday May 30 only.

Replacement buses will operate to all stations affected.

The work will allow for greater infrastructure resilience as GWR continues to introduce its fleet of new Intercity Express Trains, delivering more seats per train, and with the completion of the wider electrification work, more frequent and quicker services.

Battenhall railway bridge is being extended as part of a road widening scheme for the A4440 near Worcester.

Network Rail will take the opportunity of the track closure to renew tracks between Worcester Shrub Hill and Worcester Foregate Street stations, and a new railway bridge is also being installed south east of Worcester.

GWR Operations Director Rob Mullen said: “Our new Intercity Express Trains are already providing more seats on many long-distance routes, and with track upgrades in the North Cotswolds and the completion of electrification of the railway through Swindon, we’ll be able to offer quicker journeys too from early next year.

“While we are doing all we can to keep people moving, customers should check before they travel this weekend, as some journeys may take longer than usual.”

Further work to extend platforms for new Intercity Express Trains will take place in November and December, affecting stations between Oxford and Worcester Shrub Hill.