NETWORK Rail has announced a seven day line closure between Basingstoke and Salisbury over Christmas and New year.

The line will be closed to allow essential maintenance work to be carried out from Sunday 27 December until Sunday 3 January.

The announcement was made this afternoon in a tweet sent from Network Rail which stated work would also take place on Andover Bridge and that specialists will address lineside vegetation between Whitchurch and Andover.

A bus replacement service will run between Basingstoke and Salisbury whilst the maintenance work is being carried out.

A revised service will also be running between London Waterloo and Basingstoke on these dates.

Whilst people are currently urged not to travel, the upgrades may displace students heading home for Christmas and others travelling for work over the festive period after the national lockdown ends on December 2.

The latest rail works come after Network Rail announced a Sunday closure on December 13 between Basingstoke and Salisbury with a replacement bus service operating instead.

Network rail said: “All of these improvements are being carried out over the Christmas and New Year period when fewer passengers are travelling, minimising the impact from reduced services.”

Passengers are advised to check with South Western Rail or National Rail Enquiries before they travel.