Busiest rail line shut

Thousands of commuters faced huge disruption today after rail chiefs closed a section of the UK's busiest line for nine days.

The West Coast main line between Euston and Milton Keynes was shut on Saturday and will not reopen until next Monday while engineering work is carried out.

The shutdown will cause longer journey times and mean bus transfers.

Passengers to London from the North-West and Scotland have to get off at Milton Keynes and take a coach to Watford or Hemel Hempstead before continuing by Tube or local rail services.

Virgin Trains said a trip from Manchester to London could take up to four and a half hours rather than the usual two hours and 55 minutes.

Kevin Groves, spokesman for Network Rail, defended the shutdown-and said it had been advertisedfor about six months in newspapers, leaflets, posters and on trains. "We have liaised with passenger groups, who told us they preferred 'one big hit' rather than a succession of weekend closures which could overrun."

He said the current nine-day period had been selected because it was one of the quietest.

The track and signal renewal work is part of a multi-billion pound upgrade of the West Coast main line, which should shave half an hour off journeys from Manchester to London when it is completed next year.

A Rail Passengers' Council spokeswoman said: "The key to this sort of shutdown is getting information to those who need it. Hopefully, people travelling from the stations en route will know about the disruption and set off earlier and the coaches set up to transport them will be in place."

Over the bank holiday weekend Network Rail pressed ahead with widespread repairs on main line routes in and out of London. Essential work was also carried out on the Great Western, East Coast and Midland main lines - and on the Gatwick Express, forcing millions on to the roads.

Transport Minister Kim Howells said the benefits would outweigh the short-term problems.

Network Rail said engineers had worked round the clock to carry out the repairs and predicted no rail delays today - except for those travelling on the West Coast main line.

On the roads into London last night a repeat of Friday's pandemonium failed to materialise.

Both the RAC and the AA reported no problems, saying staggered journeys and the fact that many people were holidaying until the end of the week were among the reasons for the lighter than expected traffic.

A spokesman for AA Roadwatch said: "I think drivers heeded the travel advice and modified their plans."