RAIL users are today facing disruptions to their journeys over the August Bank Holiday weekend, while more engineering works take place.

RAIL users are today facing disruptions to their journeys over the August Bank Holiday weekend, while more engineering works take place.

Network Rail will be closing the train lines between Witham and Manningtree and between London Liverpool Street and Stratford to carry out a �50million improvement programme.

Replacement buses will be in operation from Saturday, August 29, to Monday, August 31.

The work forms part of the ongoing �210m project to renew the overhead electric lines between London, Chelmsford and Southend.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “This will help to improve rail performance and reliability on this stretch of line and make it quicker and easier to fix problems if they occur.”

Engineers will also be carrying out the final phase of the �104m upgrade of the line from Colchester to Clacton and Walton-on-the-Naze, which will see track circuits and upgraded level crossings installed.

This project also includes the installation of new signalling on the main line between Colchester and Marks Tey, which will enable trains to travel in either direction on all tracks in a bid to improve flexibility and reduce delays.

National Rail added that in an effort to minimise future disruption, works to create a transport hub at Stratford for the 2012 Olympics are being carried out at the same time.

For full details of how this will affect journeys, passengers are encouraged to go to the National Rail Enquiries website at www.nationalrail.co.uk or phone 08457 48 49 50.

Will you be affected by the engineering work? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.