PLANS to close off a vital rail route through Southampton this Christmas have been unveiled by rail bosses.

The Victorian tunnel at Southampton Central Station is being upgraded to allow the next generation of supersize containers from the port to the pass through.

Train commuters are being warned to expect delays of up to 45 minutes as they are bused around the station to rejoin train services at Netley, Woolston, Southampton Airport and Eastleigh.

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Network Rail said port rail freight would be re-routed and should not end up roads.

The £25m project to lower the tracks through the tunnel at the "London" end of central station will take place from November 30 to January 10.

During this time the tunnel will be closed each Saturday and Sunday and weeknights with one line open through the tunnel on weekdays resulting in some timetable changes.

However the tunnel will be closed completely over the Christmas holidays from December 27 to January 3.There will also be work done to the station Canopy at St Denys and some work at Swaythling station.

The tunnel works are part of a £71m project, backed by local businesses and largely funded by the Department for Transport, to upgrade the rail network to take more port freight by train up to the Midlands. Network Rail claims it will remove up to 50,000 lorries a year off the region's roads.

Route director for Wessex Richard O'Brien, said: "Rail can provide a cheaper, greener and more practical way of transporting freight compared with road.

"This project aims to increase the amount of freight transported from Southampton by rail, which in turn will bring long term benefits to the city and the surrounding area."