The upcoming weekend engineering work in Birmingham, set to commence on May 15, 2026, will significantly impact CrossCountry services. This necessary maintenance, conducted by Network Rail in collaboration with HS2 engineers, aims to replace the Saltley Viaduct and Aston Church Road bridge, crucial structures spanning the railway between Birmingham and Derby. The work, spanning two weekends in June, will disrupt rail journeys between Birmingham New Street, Water Orton, and Coleshill Parkway stations, affecting various routes including those to Leicester, Peterborough, Cambridge, Stansted Airport, Nottingham, and destinations across Scotland, the North East, and the South West. During these disruptions, CrossCountry will provide rail replacement bus services from Birmingham New Street to Coleshill Parkway, ensuring passengers can still travel during the essential maintenance period. Despite the inconvenience, Patrick Cawley, Director of On Network Works for Network Rail and HS2, assures travelers that the work is vital for the future of Britain's high-speed railway. Ben Simkin, CrossCountry's Regional Director, advises customers to plan their journeys and leave extra time for potential delays. This initiative underscores Network Rail's commitment to delivering a safe and reliable railway, managing thousands of projects annually as part of the multi-billion-pound Railway Upgrade Plan to meet the growing demand for rail travel in the UK.
