First Great Western is encouraging passengers to check journey times before travelling to and from Devon and Cornwall as Network Rail carry out vital repair works to Weston Mill Viaduct.

Journeys between Plymouth and Liskeard will be altered for two weekends, from this weekend (November) 29 to 30, and next week December 6 and 7, as wel on Sunday, December 14.

First Great Western’s General Manager for the West David Chrome praised passengers for their patience and said: “With recent Network Rail flood protection work to Hayle Viaduct I am very appreciative of the goodwill shown by passengers as we work to keep disruption to a minimum.

“The improvements being made are testament to the amount of investment focused in the area and will provide a more robust railway, better able to support the local economy and the customers and communities that we serve.”

High Speed intercity train services between London Paddington and Cornwall:

•Will start and terminate in Plymouth

•Trains will continue to operate between Liskeard and Penzance, though times may be different to usual •A rail replacement bus service will run between Plymouth and Liskeard, extending journey times by up to 45 minutes.

Night Riviera Sleeper services to/from Cornwall

•Will start and terminate in Plymouth Gunnislake branch line services:

•Customers will need to take the rail replacement bus to St Budeaux Ferry Road

•A shuttle train service will run between St Budeaux Victoria Road (150 metres from St Budeaux Ferry Road station) and Gunnislake The weekend works to Weston Mill Viaduct will not impact Monday to Friday commuter journeys.

Engineering works at Weston Mill and the £7 million works to the Hayle Viaduct form part of a wider project to improve the reliability and resilience of the railway in the West of England.

Passengers should plan their journeys before travelling on the affected dates, by visiting www.journeycheck.com/firstgreatwestern Information is available on a dedicated web page: www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/autumn2014