Network Rail is to work over the Christmas period to deliver vital track improvements in and around York railway station.

The work will take place from Christmas Eve until Monday 2 January and is a £6million investment. The upgrade will see 2.7km of track renewed, as well as nine sets of points – the specialist piece of equipment which allows trains to move from one section of track to another.

Work will also take place to renew signalling equipment, as well as to improve specialist heaters on the track, which help melt snow and ice, keeping trains running reliably in the winter.

The work is taking place at the same time to minimise disruption for passengers, but anybody planning to travel over the Christmas period is being strongly advised to check before they travel. Planned industrial action will have a sustained impact on train services, alongside any disruption from engineering work.

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Once complete, passengers will benefit from a more modern and reliable railway, with smoother journeys and reduced likelihood of delays.

With changes to services over Christmas, passengers are urged to plan ahead via National Rail Enquiries or with their train operator. Some bus replacement services will be in place, as well as diversion routes, with journeys expected to take longer than usual.

The work will also mean changes at Marygate car park as Network Rail sets up an area to carry out the work. This will reduce available car parking spaces by a third between Monday, 19 December and Friday, 6 January (inclusive).

There will be no change in the number of disabled bays or electric charging points. Motorists are encouraged to use park and ride facilities between Monday 19 December and Friday 6 January, as car park spaces at Marygate will be reduced because of the engineering work. More info can be found by visiting https://www.itravelyork.info/park-ride. Details of alternative car parks can be found by visiting https://www.york.gov.uk/parking

Sam MacDougall, Operations Director for Network Rail's East Coast route said: "Our teams will be out working hard this Christmas to provide an improved railway for passengers.

"The work at York is crucial to keep trains running reliably and smoothly for years to come. Our engineering work and the impact of planned industrial action will mean changes to some services, so passengers are urged to plan ahead and check before travelling."