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| Route to reopen after rail chaos | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| 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. | |
| Rail passengers are facing another day of disruption as work continues on the West Coast Mainline at Rugby. | Rail passengers are facing another day of disruption as work continues on the West Coast Mainline at Rugby. |
| 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 apologised to customers. | |
| 'Substantial fine' | |
| 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. |
| 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' |
| 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 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 as follows:
| Passengers to and from London are being urged to use alternative routes as follows:
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