Weekend rail travel from Ipswich station is set to be disrupted by a number of works over the coming months.

Network Rail will be carrying out essential rail upgrades to the Great Eastern Main Line throughout autumn, affecting travel from London Liverpool Street all the way to Norwich, with people in Suffolk likely to see their journeys impacted.

The work will be carried out on weekends and is set to begin on Sunday, September 11.

This includes the renewal of three switches and crossings units at Witham, track, level crossing and drainage work at Kelvedon, track renewal between Ipswich and Norwich and power supply work between Liverpool Street and Ingatestone.

As a result of work between Chelmsford and Colchester, rail replacement buses will run on these dates:

  • Sunday, September 11
  • Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18
  • Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25
  • Saturday, October 1
  • Saturday, October 8 and Sunday, October 9
  • Sunday, October 30 (between Shenfield and Colchester)

The Marks Tey to Sudbury branch line will be affected on Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25.

Work will take place between Colchester and Ipswich on Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6.

Rail replacement buses between Ipswich and Norwich will be in place on Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16, as well as on Sunday, October 23.

There will be work on the Felixstowe and east Suffolk lines on Sunday, October 2, with rail replacements between Ipswich and Woodbridge and Ipswich and Felixstowe.

Passengers are being advised to check how their journey will be affected before travelling.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for the Anglia region, said: “We’re carrying out this important work to improve reliability and to maintain the safe operation of the rail network on these busy lines.

"I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we carry out the improvements."