Rail passengers returning to work in the New Year had the benefit of a more-reliable infrastructure and improved facilities and services, thanks to a £148 million Christmas programme of investment across the network that was “completed on time”.

These improvements included signalling upgrades in Merseyside to ensure-more reliable journeys, plus track renewal at Holloway to improve the reliability of services using King’s Cross.

A 25,000-strong workforce that included engineers, track layers, project managers and station staff worked more than 380,000hr to deliver 330 projects across Britain.

The work was completed at “the quietest time for rail travel”, with around half the normal number of passengers travelling (4.7 million typically use the network daily).

The projects undertaken included: upgrading the over-head wiring system at Forest Gate junction as part of the £250 million upgrade of the Great Eastern Main Line; installing new track at Battersea Pier junction; replacing old switches and crossings and changing the track layout between Bedford and Kettering as part of the Midland Main Line upgrade; installing new track at Heathrow Airport junction to improve reliability; and making signalling upgrades in Merseyside.

Andrew Haines, Network Rail www.networkrail.co.uk" target="_blank">(www.networkrail.co.uk) chief executive, said: “Thousands of rail workers have been working round the clock over Christmas and the New Year to deliver crucial improvements to the network, as part of the £50 billion railway upgrade plan.

“Our decision to do work at this time of year is entirely based on the fact that many regular passengers take this time as holiday.”