Cross City rail line between Birmingham & Lichfield to shut for works at Easter - latest travel advice

The Cross City Line between Birmingham and Lichfield will be closed during Easter as a rail bridge will be replaced during that time in a £4m upgrade to the structure.

Network Rail is investing in a bridge that takes the Sutton Park freight line over the Cross City line in Sutton Coldfield. The replacement is expected to keep freight moving across the Midlands and lead to more reliable journeys for passengers on both important rail routes in future.

For the works, the old bridge will be completely removed and a new one will be installed. The current bridge weighs a total of 64 tonnes and to remove it safely it’ll require a 111-tonne mobile crane.

When will it be shut?

The Cross City line between Birmingham and Lichfield will need to be closed from Friday 7 April until the early morning of Tuesday 11 April.

A site compound has been set up in the nearby Royal Mail delivery office on Station Approach and several of Sutton Coldfield station’s car parking spaces have been occupied by the project team.

No roads will be closed during the bridge upgrade but the footpath and railway footbridge which runs between Sutton College and the Sutton Park line will be closed temporarily.

Alternative routes of travel

Rail replacement buses will be in operation between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley from Good Friday to Easter Monday. People are being advised to allow more time for their journeys and to plan ahead using www.nationalrail.co.uk.

What Network Rail said

Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s Central route director, said: “We know there’s never an ideal time to close the railway, so I’d like to thank people in advance for their patience ahead of this complex work to replace a bridge which carries freight trains over passenger services.

“This major investment has the dual benefit of making sure freight goods can travel by rail smoothly and reliably in future, as well as the thousands of people who travel daily on the important Cross City line below. My advice during the work is to please check National Rail Enquiries in advance and allow more time for your journey over Easter.”

What West Midlands Railway said

Jonny Wiseman, West Midlands Railway customer experience director, said: “I’d like to thank our customers for their patience while Network Rail carries out these crucial upgrades to the railway at Sutton Coldfield.

“Rail replacement transport will be in operation on the north side of the Cross City line between Birmingham and Lichfield across the entire Easter weekend, so we are urging passengers to allow more time and plan their journeys carefully.”