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Passengers face more rail misery Passengers face more rail misery
(about 1 hour later)
Rail travellers are facing a third day of delays and disruption, as engineering work continues to overrun on the West Coast Mainline. Rail travellers are facing a third day of disruption after engineering work on the West Coast Mainline overran.
Scotland to London rail services were due to return to normal on Tuesday. Scotland to London services were due to return to normal on New Year's Day but staff shortages meant work was delayed.
Meanwhile, London's Liverpool Street Station has now reopened after work on a bridge there also overran. Network Rail has said it expects the work to be completed by 0500 GMT on Friday and has apologised to customers.
Works at Rugby have shut the line between Birmingham International and Northampton, prompting Virgin to advise passengers not to use its trains.Works at Rugby have shut the line between Birmingham International and Northampton, prompting Virgin to advise passengers not to use its trains.
Meanwhile, London's Liverpool Street Station has now reopened after work on a bridge there also overran.
'Planning error'
An inquiry has begun into Network Rail's handling of the maintenance.An inquiry has begun into Network Rail's handling of the maintenance.
Meanwhile, Virgin has announced that saver fares will be available on all trains, including peak services, next Monday and Tuesday to enable customers to travel for less at short notice. Its operations director Robin Gisbey said a "planning error" had resulted in not enough overhead wire electricians being asked to come to work, admitting: "We got it wrong."
This has been a fiasco and our customers expect and deserve better Chris Gibb, Virgin Trains Counting the cost of travelThis has been a fiasco and our customers expect and deserve better Chris Gibb, Virgin Trains Counting the cost of travel
He added: "We've now got extra resources into Rugby, we've been flat out over the last couple of days and I'm pretty confident that we will now get it back in the morning.
"That in itself is dreadful. We shouldn't be doing this to passengers and rail freight users."
Chris Gibb, managing director of Virgin Trains, said "very few" passengers had been using its service.
He added: "What I want to see is a change in behaviour by Network Rail to ensure this never happens again.
"I want to be able to provide a good service to customers, I want to know in advance when the engineering work is going to take place and not be told at the last minute."
The company's chief executive Tony Collins said: "This has been a fiasco and our customers expect and deserve better."
Meanwhile, Virgin has announced that saver fares will be available on all trains, including peak services, next Monday and Tuesday to enable customers to travel for less at short notice.
HAVE YOUR SAY This is what happens when you allow essential services, such as public transport, to fall into the clutches of profit-making companies Jeff Minton Send us your comments
It also said passengers could claim compensation if their journeys had been affected.It also said passengers could claim compensation if their journeys had been affected.
Full services between the capital and East Anglia are not expected to be restored until some time later in the morning.
Network Rail has apologised and says it is working "flat out" to restore normal services on the West Coast Mainline.
In the meantime, replacement bus services are operating between Birmingham, Coventry and Northampton, but they are adding up to two hours to journey times.In the meantime, replacement bus services are operating between Birmingham, Coventry and Northampton, but they are adding up to two hours to journey times.
HAVE YOUR SAY This is what happens when you allow essential services, such as public transport, to fall into the clutches of profit-making companies Jeff Minton Send us your comments
Chris Gibb, managing director of Virgin Trains, told the BBC that Network Rail said the line around Rugby station would not reopen until 0500 GMT on Friday.
Network Rail said it could not confirm when full services would be restored.
It has blamed a shortage of specialist engineering staff for the delays.
Virgin Trains chief executive Tony Collins said: "This has been a fiasco and our customers expect and deserve better."
The widespread disruption has coincided with above-inflation fare rises of up to 11%.The widespread disruption has coincided with above-inflation fare rises of up to 11%.
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said passengers had been "on the end of a real double whammy".Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said passengers had been "on the end of a real double whammy".
The inquiry into the delays is being carried out by the Office of Rail Regulation which could order Network Rail be fined.The inquiry into the delays is being carried out by the Office of Rail Regulation which could order Network Rail be fined.
Last year, it fined the company £2.4m for the late delivery of signalling work around Portsmouth in 2006.Last year, it fined the company £2.4m for the late delivery of signalling work around Portsmouth in 2006.
Passengers to and from London are being urged to use alternative routes as follows:
  • Birmingham - Chiltern Railways to Marylebone
  • Nuneaton - Cross Country/East Midlands Trains via Leicester to St Pancras
  • Rugby - Drive to Kettering then East Midlands Trains to St Pancras
  • North West England - Trans Pennine Express/East Midlands Trains via Sheffield to St Pancras
  • North Wales - Virgin Trains/Cross Country/Chiltern Railways via Birmingham to Marylebone
  • Scotland - National Express East Coast to King's Cross
Passengers to and from London are being urged to use alternative routes as follows:
  • Birmingham - Chiltern Railways to Marylebone
  • Nuneaton - Cross Country/East Midlands Trains via Leicester to St Pancras
  • Rugby - Drive to Kettering then East Midlands Trains to St Pancras
  • North West England - Trans Pennine Express/East Midlands Trains via Sheffield to St Pancras
  • North Wales - Virgin Trains/Cross Country/Chiltern Railways via Birmingham to Marylebone
  • Scotland - National Express East Coast to King's Cross


Have you been affected by these delays? Are you having to find alternative ways to get to work? Tell us your thoughts.Have you been affected by these delays? Are you having to find alternative ways to get to work? Tell us your thoughts.
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