Rail customers advised to avoid travel beyond Plymouth due to unexploded bomb removal

Emergency services have issued a warning to rail customers, urging them to refrain from travelling beyond Plymouth between 2pm and 6pm today. 

The reason behind this cautionary measure is the removal of an unexploded wartime bomb, found in St Michael Avenue in Plymouth.

The police were notified of the bomb on Tuesday (February 20) after a man had found a suspected World War Two bomb while digging in his daughter's garden.

The removal of the bomb will begin today (February 23), necessitating the closure of the railway between Plymouth and Liskeard during the specified hours.

Passengers planning to journey towards Devon and Cornwall are strongly advised to avoid attempting to travel beyond Plymouth and should consider delaying their journey accordingly. 

Similarly, travellers originating from Cornwall are encouraged to refrain from travelling beyond Liskeard and to postpone their plans.

The removal operation is expected to have a significant impact on the road network in the area, affecting the provision of replacement road transport options. Consequently, commuters are urged to plan their journeys accordingly and to seek alternative routes where possible.

To assist passengers who have already purchased tickets, arrangements have been made to ensure that tickets for travel through the affected area today will remain valid later today and up to and including Saturday, February 24.

Furthermore, the closure of the railway line may also disrupt services immediately before and after the specified closure hours. 

Therefore, customers are advised to check the status of their journey prior to departure to avoid any inconvenience.

For those affected by the closure, compensation claims may be applicable. Information regarding compensation claims and procedures can be found at GWR.com/delay/repay.