Travel misery for both road and rail commuters is expected, due to work taking place at Eastleigh Station and the M27.
South Western Railway has announced several delays, cancellations and diverted train journeys set to last until Monday 3rd February, following the derailing of a freight locomotive at Eastleigh on Tuesday 28th January that resulted in travel chaos across the Southern network for the rest of the week. Parts of the train are yet to be removed and “significant repairs” to the railway infrastructure will need to be done before lines can reopen. Temporary tracks are reportedly being installed and alterations to the signalling and power supply are expected to take more time.
A spokesperson for SWR reported:
The railway through Eastleigh remains closed and we apologise to passengers for the ongoing disruption.
We now expect the majority of services to run from the morning of Monday 3 February, but continue to do everything possible to open the railway sooner. We are dealing with a complex situation involving the derailment of six wagons that has taken much longer than was initially expected.
Following the derailment there is extensive damage to the track and our engineers are working around the clock to get the railway back open as quickly and as safely as possible. To do this we are installing temporary track and will make alterations to the signalling and power supply as the full repair will take more time. Passengers should continue to check before travelling.
Meanwhile, motorists are warned to brace for travel disruption and severe congestion as the M27 closes over the weekend. It will be blocked between junction 3 and 4 from 10pm on January 31 to 5am on February 3 as part of the final phase of a £19m scheme to replace the Romsey Road bridge. Some motorists will face a 55-mile diversion route while others will be diverted through North Baddesley and Chilworth. Residents have been urged to plan their journeys, leave plenty of extra time and consider using alternative modes of transport where possible.
