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| Route to reopen after rail chaos | Route to reopen after rail chaos |
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| The West Coast route will reopen from first thing on Friday after overrunning engineering work caused major disruption, Network Rail has confirmed. | The West Coast route will reopen from first thing on Friday after overrunning engineering work caused major disruption, Network Rail has confirmed. |
| The company could be fined millions of pounds by regulators after tens of thousands of travellers were affected. | The company could be fined millions of pounds by regulators after tens of thousands of travellers were affected. |
| Rail passengers have faced another day of disruption as work continued on the West Coast Mainline at Rugby. | Rail passengers have faced another day of disruption as work continued on the West Coast Mainline at Rugby. |
| Network Rail said it wants the project managers and principal contractors to explain what has happened. | Network Rail said it wants the project managers and principal contractors to explain what has happened. |
| 'Want answers' | 'Want answers' |
| The company issued a statement on Thursday saying that chief executive Iain Coucher will chair a "high-level" meeting next week on the issue. | The company issued a statement on Thursday saying that chief executive Iain Coucher will chair a "high-level" meeting next week on the issue. |
| He said: "I will be summoning our project managers, Bechtel, and the principal contractors involved to attend so they can personally explain to me what has gone wrong. | He said: "I will be summoning our project managers, Bechtel, and the principal contractors involved to attend so they can personally explain to me what has gone wrong. |
| "They gave me assurances before Christmas on which they have not delivered. I want answers from them." | "They gave me assurances before Christmas on which they have not delivered. I want answers from them." |
| Scotland to London services were due to return to normal on New Year's Day but staff shortages meant work was delayed. | Scotland to London services were due to return to normal on New Year's Day but staff shortages meant work was delayed. |
| 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. |
| 'Too early' | 'Too early' |
| Meanwhile, London's Liverpool Street Station has now reopened after work on power cables also overran. | |
| Mr Coucher said an investigation into the causes had been launched and admitted Network Rail had "let passengers down". | Mr Coucher said an investigation into the causes had been launched and admitted Network Rail had "let passengers down". |
| He said: "The railway will be back tomorrow (Friday) but the work is far from done. | He said: "The railway will be back tomorrow (Friday) but the work is far from done. |
| This has been a fiasco and our customers expect and deserve better Chris Gibb, Virgin Trains Counting the cost of travelTaking on rail challenge | This has been a fiasco and our customers expect and deserve better Chris Gibb, Virgin Trains Counting the cost of travelTaking on rail challenge |
| "We have a significant programme for developing and expanding the railway over the coming years and we have to make certain that it is carried out to plan." | "We have a significant programme for developing and expanding the railway over the coming years and we have to make certain that it is carried out to plan." |
| Rail Regulator Chris Bolt said Network Rail had been fined £2.4m last Christmas following signalling problems at Portsmouth. | Rail Regulator Chris Bolt said Network Rail had been fined £2.4m last Christmas following signalling problems at Portsmouth. |
| "That is clearly a precedent we have already put in place, so fining them again, if that will help to resolve these problems, is something we won't hesitate to do," he said. | "That is clearly a precedent we have already put in place, so fining them again, if that will help to resolve these problems, is something we won't hesitate to do," he said. |
| More people had been affected by the more recent problems than at Portsmouth, he added. | More people had been affected by the more recent problems than at Portsmouth, he added. |
| "It's too early to say what the fine might be but it clearly could be substantial," he said. | "It's too early to say what the fine might be but it clearly could be substantial," he said. |
| 'Planning error' | 'Planning error' |
| Network Rail's 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." | Network Rail's 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." |
| He added: "We've now got extra resources into Rugby, we've been flat out over the last couple of days." | He added: "We've now got extra resources into Rugby, we've been flat out over the last couple of days." |
| Chris Gibb, managing director of Virgin Trains, said "very few" passengers had been using its service. | 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. | 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." | "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." | 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. | 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 | 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. |
| In the meantime, replacement bus services are operating between Birmingham, Coventry and Northampton, but they have been adding up to two hours to journey times. | In the meantime, replacement bus services are operating between Birmingham, Coventry and Northampton, but they have been adding up to two hours to journey times. |
| Chiltern Trains and other operators are accepting Virgin tickets and Cross Country has said it is putting on extra services between Birmingham New Street and Reading to help travellers. | Chiltern Trains and other operators are accepting Virgin tickets and Cross Country has said it is putting on extra services between Birmingham New Street and Reading to help travellers. |
| 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". |
Passengers to and from London are being urged to use alternative routes on Thursday as follows:
| Passengers to and from London are being urged to use alternative routes on Thursday as follows:
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