Network Rail has announced that more than 15,000 employees will be working over the four-day Easter weekend to advance construction projects worth £60m.

The work is part of Network Rail’s £40bn railway upgrade plan to provide a larger, more reliable railway for passengers and businesses.

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Scheduled to begin on 24 March, contractors will mobilise on more than 450 separate improvement projects across Britain.

The programme will include installation of new station facilities, longer platforms, extra tracks, new junctions and more reliable equipment.

"Our work this Easter forms a key part of our railway upgrade plan to meet surging demand and improve and expand our congested railway network."

Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne said: "I’m acutely conscious that many people want to use the railway during the Easter holidays, but with fewer people travelling by train over this four-day weekend, it is a good time to undertake these massive improvement projects.

"The vast majority of services will be unaffected by this programme with over 95% of the network open as normal."

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The Easter railway upgrade plan will include overhead line renewals and Crossrail work on the Great Eastern main line near Brentwood and Gidea Park; Crossrail and Western electrification work between Paddington and Reading; major renewals at Battersea; and signalling work in East Kent.

Carne added: "Passengers have shown themselves to be incredibly understanding of planned improvement work and I’d like to thank them in advance for their support and understanding as we deliver the big improvements that the travelling public want to see.

"The number of people travelling by rail continues to grow to record levels. Our work this Easter forms a key part of our railway upgrade plan to meet surging demand and improve and expand our congested railway network."

Thameslink work will continue at London Bridge, while the Stafford area improvement programme will provide a new flyover.