Network Rail is advising passengers who use the Portsmouth Direct Line to plan their journeys ahead of the February half-term break as it carries out various works to maintain and improve the railway.

Between Saturday 14 and Sunday 22 February, Network Rail’s engineers will work on the railway between Petersfield and Havant. The work will cause disruption not just on this stretch, but will also affect services to and from Portsmouth Harbour and Guildford on alternative weekends.

The Portsmouth Direct Line runs railway services between Woking in Surrey and Portsmouth Harbour in Hampshire.

The work that Network Rail is to carry out in February will include:

• improving drainage, which will help to protect the railway from flooding
• renewing track, which will keep rail journeys smooth and reliable
• work on signalling, power and telecoms systems, which will keep the route operating safely
• work to follow up the commissioning of the Farncombe to Petersfield signalling upgrade.

Passengers in this area suffered disruption to services last year as Network Rail upgraded signalling systems.

Passengers can find details of how services will change during the February work on the national rail website or from their train operator.

Once it has completed the February half-term works between Petersfield and Havant, Network Rail will carry out further improvement works in the Portsmouth area in the spring. It promises to release further details in due course.

“We’re continuing to invest in maintaining and renewing the Portsmouth Direct Line to support a safer and more reliable railway. This work builds on improvements already delivered and forms part of a longer programme of activity across the route.

“We know there is never a good time to close the railway, and we’re sorry for the disruption this will cause. By carrying out this work during the school half-term, when passenger numbers are typically lower, we can complete a significant amount of essential work more efficiently and reduce the need for repeated closures later on.”

Tom McNamee, Infrastructure Director for Network Rail Wessex and South Western Railway