Isle of Wight rail network Island Line shut for flood defence works

The Island's railway line will be closed in its entirety, from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin, with rail replacement shuttle buses operating instead of trains throughout the period of the work.

The rail service, which will close between today (Friday) and Tuesday, March 12 inclusive, will be replaced by buses.

Engineers will carry out vital maintenance and improvements over the five-day period.

The closure will allow engineers to carry out essential work on flood defences, which are being improved following severe weather early last month.

Track upgrades, vegetation management work and structural surveys will also take place, ensuring as much work as possible is carried out while trains are not running.

Flooding on the Island Line track during the storms at the end of 2023. (Image: IWCP)

• Read more: Full service resumes on Island Line nearly a month on from flooding

Customers are advised to allow extra time to complete their journeys, as they will take longer than usual.

Rail replacement bus timetables are available on the South Western Railway (SWR) website.

Island Line general manager, Mark Dunn, said: “We are sorry for the disruption this closure will cause.

"However, we must complete this programme of work to keep trains running reliably.

“Following January’s severe weather, we will improve our flood defences and, while there are no trains running, it makes sense to add other work we would otherwise look to carry out at weekends.

“We are advising customers to allow extra time to complete their journeys and to check the timings of our rail replacement buses by visiting our website.”