TRAIN passengers in Essex are set to face further disruption next month while essential engineering works are carried out.

Work is taking place on the Great Eastern Main Line during four consecutive weekends in February in a bid to maintain reliability and safety.

This includes at the new Beaulieu Park station site, which will affect services between Shenfield and Witham on the last two weekends of the month.

There is also planned platform canopy refurbishment works scheduled at stations in Burnham-on-Crouch and Wickford.

The improvements are set to take place from February 3 and February 4 and then for three successive weekends afterwards.

In the first two weekends, Greater Anglia services from Colchester Town, Colchester, Norwich and Ipswich will terminate at Shenfield.

In the last two weekends, meanwhile, rail services will terminate at Witham.

Replacement buses will operate between Witham and Newbury Park underground station for the last two weekends in February only, as well as Wickford and Southminster.

Passengers are encouraged to plan their journeys ahead.

Mark Walker, Network Rail Anglia route infrastructure engineer, said: "These works play an essential role to maintain the reliability and safety of our railway.”

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, thanked customers for their patience and understanding while the work is carried out.

He added: “This work is extremely important to help maintain the safe and reliable running of the railway and make it fit for the future."