Rail delays: Warning to Derby residents - and Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley football fans going to Wembley
East Midlands Railway said 'vital track upgrades' are taking place on the Midland Mainline
Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley football fans attending Monday's play-off final at Wembley - as well as Derby residents - are being warned to expect longer journeys, queuing systems and extremely busy services as "essential" engineering work begins this weekend.
The track upgrades to the Midland Mainline will significantly affect East Midlands Railway (EMR) services for 16 days from Saturday to June 11 - including during half-term.
Neil Grabham, customer services director for EMR, said: "We are advising Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday fans travelling Bank Holiday Monday to plan ahead and allow plenty of time to complete their journeys.
"Saturday marks the start of a 16 day stretch of engineering works where there will be fewer intercity services to Derby, Chesterfield and Sheffield, and journey times will be extended.
"Rail replacement buses will be in place on the Derwent Valley Line, between Derby and Matlock, with the exception of the ASLEF strike days on May 31 and June 3, where there will be no services.
"We would like to thank our customers for their patience while Network Rail carries out this essential upgrade of the tracks at both Clay Cross and Milford tunnels."
Work is 'vital'
According to EMR, the "vital upgrades will deliver a package of improvements to both Clay Cross and Milford tunnels including upgrading drainage and replacing sleepers - this will help maintain a safe, reliable and smooth service for customers and freight users through the tunnels".
The work by Network Rail will result in a reduced Monday to Saturday timetable of one train per hour between London St Pancras and Sheffield - which will not call at Derby - and one train per hour which will run between London St Pancras and Derby.
Customers travelling between Derby and Sheffield should use CrossCountry services which will take a diversionary route, adding up to one hour to journey times.
On Sunday, one train will run per hour from Sheffield, via Derby, to London St Pancras. Between the hours of 2pm and 6.30pm, there will also be one train per hour which runs between Derby to London St Pancras.
One train per hour will run from Sheffield, via Derby, to London St Pancras on June 11.
On the Derwent Valley Line, buses will replace trains between Derby and Matlock, connecting to and from train services.
Customers are reminded that on the days of May 31 and June 3, members of the ASLEF union will be striking - meaning that there will be no EMR services running on these days and no rail replacement buses.
On June 2, meanwhile, members from the RMT union will striking and services will be significantly reduced.
Further details regarding the days of industrial action can be found at https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/rail-strike