Disruption at Chester expected until 13:00 

Route(s) affected

Avanti West Coast between Holyhead / Chester and London Euston

Northern between Chester and Manchester Piccadilly / Leeds

Transport for Wales between Holyhead and Manchester Airport / Birmingham International / Cardiff Central, between Llandudno and Liverpool Lime Street, between Llandudno Junction and Birmingham International, and also between Wrexham General and Crewe

Description

A fault with the signalling system at Chester means that all lines are blocked. Trains operating through this station may be cancelled or delayed by up to 30 minutes.

This is expected until 13:00.

A visual disruption map video is available.

Avanti West Coast customer advice:

To assist you with your journey, your ticket can be used at no extra cost on:

• London Northwestern Railway services between Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street

• Merseyrail services between Chester and Liverpool Lime Street

• Transport for Wales services between Holyhead and Crewe

If your train is cancelled, your ticket is valid on one of the two Avanti West Coast services immediately before your booked train, or one of the two immediately after.

If you no longer wish to travel because your train's delayed or cancelled, you can request a full refund from where you bought your ticket.

Northern customer advice:

Services between Chester and Greenbank are being disrupted.

Road transport will be operated by Bestway as follows:

• From Greenbank to Chester, calling at Cuddington, Delamere, Mouldsworth and Chester at 30 minutes past the hour until 13:30

• From Warrington Bank Quay calling at Chester only, at 30 minutes past the hour until 13:30

You can travel on the next Northern service to your destination, where available.

Your ticket can be used on the following at no extra cost:

• Bee Network 263 bus service between Altrincham and Manchester

• Merseyrail services between Chester and Liverpool for connecting services to your destination

• Transport for Wales services between Warrington Bank Quay and Warrington Central for connecting services to your destination

Please note that other train operators may also be affected by disruption – please check your whole journey before travelling.

Northern train ticket restrictions have been lifted in the affected areas, including Advance and Peak restrictions, during this disruption. Restrictions will be reinstated once the disruption ends.

Transport for Wales customer advice:

Until 13:00, limited road transport (provided by Mario Coaches, Keanes Coaches and Northwich Travel) is in operation in both directions between:

• Chester and Runcorn

• Chester and Warrington Bank Quay

• Chester and Crewe

Road transport will take longer than rail services. Please allow extra time to complete your journey.

For helpful advice if you need to travel on a rail replacement service, including accessibility and bicycle information, please visit the National Rail website.

Calling points for road transport may be found on station information posters and on the Transport for Wales webpage.

Your ticket can be used on the following at no extra cost, in both directions:

• Avanti West Coast services between Liverpool Lime Street and Crewe

• London Northwestern Railway services between Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street

• Merseyrail services between Chester and Liverpool Lime Street

• Northern services between Warrington Bank Quay / Central to Manchester Piccadilly

• TransPennine Express services between Warrington Central and Manchester Piccadilly

If you are travelling from Chester to Manchester or Crewe, please use MerseyRail services from Chester to Liverpool Lime Street and change there for connecting services towards Manchester and Crewe.

If you are travelling from Manchester or Crewe towards Chester, please use services by either: Avanti West Coast, Northern, TransPennine Express or London NorthWestern Railway services to Liverpool Lime Street and change there for MerseyRail services to Chester.

You can check services running in the area using the Transport for Wales Live Map.

If you decide not to travel because of this disruption and your ticket is unused, you can obtain a fee free refund from wherever you purchased your ticket.

Pay as you go customers:

If all or part of your journey requires a rail replacement bus, please tap in at your origin station and tap out at your destination. If you need to tap out at a gateline after travelling on a rail replacement bus, our station colleagues can assist. You can also add any missing taps using the Transport for Wales app or website.

Pay as you go is only valid on Transport for Wales and CrossCountry services, even where it is stated you can use your original ticket at no extra cost with other train operators or local bus operators. If you travel with another operator or on a local bus service, you must first tap out at the same station within one hour of tapping in and buy an alternative ticket before boarding.

If you wish to abandon your journey, please tap out at the same station within one hour of tapping in.

Ticket flexibility:

If your train is cancelled, you will be able to travel on an alternative service operated by any other participating train company, either two hours before or two hours after the original departure time of the cancelled service, in order to reach your destination.

If you decide not to travel or cannot complete your journey due to cancellations, you are entitled to a full refund from your original point of sale.

For further information and guidance please contact your train company or speak to a member of railway staff.

Check before you travel:

You can check your journey using the National Rail real-time Journey Planner.

For helpful advice if you need to travel on a rail replacement service, including accessibility and bicycle information, please use our Rail Replacement Services page.

You can find the pick-up and drop-off location of rail replacement services by checking station signage or by searching for your station on our Find a Station page.

Please be advised that replacement vehicles may be busier than usual, and you should allow extra time for your journey.

Compensation:

You may be entitled to compensation if you experience a delay in completing your journey today. Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim.