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| Route reopens after railway chaos | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The West Coast route has reopened after overrunning engineering work caused major disruption. | The West Coast route has reopened after overrunning engineering work caused major disruption. |
| Network Rail could be fined millions of pounds by regulators after tens of thousands of travellers were affected. | Network Rail could be fined millions of pounds by regulators after tens of thousands of travellers were affected. |
| The company has said it wants the project managers and principal contractors to explain why the work at Rugby was not completed on time. | |
| But it has denied newspaper reports it is planning to bring maintenance work back in-house. | But it has denied newspaper reports it is planning to bring maintenance work back in-house. |
| 'Want answers' | 'Want answers' |
| The Times said Network Rail was "likely" to end the use of contractors to oversee rail renewal projects. | |
| 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. |
| This has been a fiasco and our customers expect and deserve better Tony CollinsChief executive, Virgin Trains class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7167821.stm">Counting the cost of travel class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7170206.stm">Taking on rail challenge | |
| Works at Rugby shut the line between Birmingham International and Northampton, prompting Virgin to advise passengers not to use its trains. | |
| 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. |
| "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. |
| 'A fiasco' | |
| 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. |
| 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. |
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| Are you planning to travel on Friday? Tell us about your journey. You can send us your comments using the form below: | Are you planning to travel on Friday? Tell us about your journey. You can send us your comments using the form below: |