“Weekend rail commuters will face travel misery throughout October and November due to the installation of electric cables on the gantries over the West Coast Main Line and other HS2 work” says Michael Fabricant.

“The WCML will be closed between Rugby and Stafford offering no direct train services from Lichfield Trent Valley, Rugeley Trent Valley, Tamworth, Atherstone, or Nuneaton.  Replacement bus services will be available from Lichfield Trent Valley to Rugby for those commuting to London, but this will increase the journey time by over an hour.  This is all particularly galling for Lichfield and other rail users who will not benefit from HS2 when the construction work is finally completed.  Most of the stations being affected by these closures and other works will not have easy access to HS2.”

HS2 have informed Michael that among other weekend closures, there will be no services between:

10:40pm Saturday 15 October until 5:25am Monday 17 October

12am Saturday 22 October until 8am Monday 24 October

11pm Saturday 5 November until 5am Monday 7 November

11pm Saturday 12 November until 5am Monday 14 November

11pm Saturday 19 November until 5am Monday 21 November

10pm Saturday 26 November until 5:25am Monday 28 November

There will be shorter closures to the line between:

12:15am Sunday 2 October until 6:15am Sunday 2 October

12:15am Sunday 9 October until 9am Sunday 9 October

10:40pm Saturday 3 December until 9am Sunday 4 December

10:40pm Saturday 7 January until 9am Sunday 8 January

10:40pm Saturday 28 January until 9am Sunday 29 January

10:40pm Saturday 25 February until 9am Sunday 26 February