BOSSES at Network Rail are to unveil their plans for the electrification of the Great Western Main Line, as works get under way once again in Stratton.

Next week, residents in Stratton will be invited to attend a drop-in session to find out more about the works that will be taking place near the Roman Road bridge in Ermin Street.

The bulk of the work will take place over the weekends of May 27 and 29 and June 10 and11, and will include removing rail and sleepers and spoil from the site, installing new ballast, sleepers and rails as well as drainage work.

Lucy Elston, scheme project manager for the track lower, said: “The work at Roman Road is an essential part of our Railway Upgrade Plan and will pave the way for electric trains and the benefits these will bring to residents and passengers. These benefits include new trains with more seats and more legroom, as well as less noise and air pollution for those who live close to the railway line.

“We would like to thank the local community for bearing with us while we carry out these improvements to Brunel’s railway.

“Everyone is welcome at our drop-in event and I’d urge anyone who has a question or wants to know more about our plans to come along.”

The works form part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan to, they claim, provide a bigger, better, more reliable railway for passengers.

But yesterday the BBC reported that Sir Peter Hendy, chairman of Network Rail, said he doesn’t blame ministers for “pausing” the electrification of the line between Chippenham, Bath and Bristol – a move that will certainly affect commuters in Swindon.

Back in November, the government deferred electrification work on a line linking Bath Spa to Bristol Temple Meads, as well as on three other routes, because of the escalating cost.

Sir Peter said the government needs to seriously consider “if the cost and benefit of electrification of that little stretch is worth doing”.

He said, flippantly: “We are going to get the trains, we are going to get the capacity, we are going to get the journey time, so actually who’s bothered?”

The track beneath the listed bridge in Ermin Street will have to be lowered to accommodate the new fleet of electric trains, which, it is claimed, will provide improved capacity and more comfortable journeys for passengers.

Follow-up work will then take place intermittently from June 18 to August 20.

Network Rail plans to close Ermin Street to traffic for the two core weekends of May 27-29 and June 10-11, subject to local authority approval.

The drop-in session will take place on Wednesday, March 29 at Grange Junior School, Grange Drive from 4.30pm to 7.00pm.

Members of the Network Rail project team will be on-hand throughout the event to explain more about the work taking place and to answer any questions.

The event will also provide an update on work to install the overhead power lines at Swindon station, which is part of the electrification project.

Work began late last year and Network Rail’s orange army will be working to make further progress.