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| Passengers face more rail misery | Passengers face more rail misery |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| Rail travellers are facing another day of disruption after engineering work on the West Coast Mainline overran. | |
| 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. |
| Network Rail has said it expects the work to be completed by 0500 GMT on Friday and has apologised to customers. | 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. | Meanwhile, London's Liverpool Street Station has now reopened after work on a bridge there also overran. |
| 'Planning error' | '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. |
| 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." | 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 travel | This 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. | 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." | "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. | 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 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. |
| 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:
| Passengers to and from London are being urged to use alternative routes as follows:
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