The Bristol Railway Archive

Ref: thisisexeter

http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/displayNo ... K=13360689

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TRAINS AIM TO CASH IN

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12:00 - 22 October 2005

Rail chiefs are urging car drivers to let the train take the strain when roadworks start at a key junction on the M5 this week. First Great Western is warning travellers of a major roadworks project that will entail speed restrictions and the overnight closure of the M4 and M5 at Bristol for the next six months.

The project, aimed at improving safety and which is due to start next week, will involve a 50mph speed limit and will affect travellers heading to London, the Midlands and North.

Work is taking place at the junction of the M4 and M5 at Almondsbury, where the Highways Agency is installing new safety barriers.

The Highways Agency is warning that delays to road-users at peak times will be "moderate to severe".

First Great Western's head of stations and trains, Mark Heffernan, said: "Our train services from stations in the region will help you dodge these roadworks and avoid the traffic jams."

For information on the project, see

www.highwaysagency.gov.uk

Virgin services around Cheltenham were so full last week no-one could even board two Voyagers stopping at Cheltenham Spa (And that was at 1 in the afternoon!), so if the emergency repair works are still going on for the better part of next week, and FGW are encouraging people to travel to the midlands and north by train, I dread to think what it'll be like.

First hardly run any trains south from Bristol now...it's either London - South Wales via Parkway, London - BTM, or London - the south west via Westbury/Castle Cary