Alert over Christmas rail disruption through Redhill

Rail passengers travelling through Redhill over Christmas and New Year are urged to plan ahead as major engineering work will close parts of the railway.

Network Rail said more than one mile of track would be replaced as part of a £31.7m programme of upgrades across the southern region.

From 20 December until 3 January, trains will continue to run on fast lines but all services that would normally stop at Redhill station itself will be replaced by buses.

This includes Earlswood, Redhill, Merstham, Coulsdon South, Nutfield and Godstone stations, the company added.

Network Rail said the work would include installing new switches and crossings to improve the long-term reliability of the railway.

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail's Sussex route director, said the work required an extended closure and had been scheduled during the festive period because passenger numbers were typically lower.

"We recognise this period includes Christmas shopping and people travelling to visit family and friends," she added.

"This is why we're asking everyone, and not just regular commuters travelling through Redhill, to plan their journey and check before they travel."

Jenny Saunders, customer services director for Southern and Thameslink, apologised for the disruption and warned some journeys would take longer because of replacement bus services.

Network Rail said on Southern services, trains between London Victoria and Reigate will not run, while services between Redhill and Tonbridge will operate only between Edenbridge and Tonbridge.

Replacement buses will serve affected routes between Reigate, Redhill, Edenbridge, Purley and Horley.

On Thameslink, no trains would run between Purley and Horley via Redhill.

On all days except Christmas and Boxing Day, Southern rail replacement buses would run between Purley and Horley, calling at Purley, Coulsdon South, Merstham, Redhill, Earlswood, Salfords and Horley.

Passengers are being advised to check before travelling and allow extra time for their journeys, Network Rail added.

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