Train services west of Chichester will be disrupted next month as Network Rail carries out improvement work in Havant in Hampshire.

The work will take place during the school half-term holiday (Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November) and will affect one of the busiest areas on the South Western Railway (SWR) network.

The work is part of an ongoing project to reduce signal failures in the Havant area. Engineers will install 61 new axle counters, which tell signallers where trains are on the network.

Havant is on a busy stretch of railway connecting Guildford, Portsmouth, Chichester and Southampton.

At the same time, workers will carry out maintenance between Liphook and Petersfield, installing new rails and upgrading signalling and cabling systems. This will build on the signalling upgrade between Farncombe and Petersfield, which started in October last year and finished two months later.

In addition, Network Rail workers will renew 183 metres of track in the Fishbourne area, replacing rails, sleepers and ballast.

During the disruption, replacement bus services will operate in the Chichester, Guildford, Havant, Petersfield, Portsmouth and Southampton areas.

The work will also require the closure of four level crossings in the area. Bedhampton, Blackboy Lane, Havant and New Fishbourne level crossings will be closed from Monday 26 until Friday 30 October. Separately, Hammer Lane level crossing will be closed on Sunday 1 November. Car parking at Chichester and Bosham stations will also be affected.

Full details of the disruption to train services and of replacement bus services are available from train operators Southern and South Western Railway and on the National Rail website.

Vital resignalling work designed to give our passengers better, more reliable services, regrettably means anyone travelling west of Chichester this October half term will have to use a rail replacement bus.

I know that for some people this will mean longer journeys and I’m sorry for the impact this will have. Please check your options and plan ahead now using our online journey planner at southernrailway.com.

Jenny Saunders, Customer Service Director for Southern