Rail-replacement bus use opposed

Passengers can face increased fares on alternative routes, it is claimed

Train companies are being asked to sign a pledge to use buses only as a last resort during engineering disruption.

Passenger Focus, which represents rail users, believes people would rather stay on a train for up to an hour more.

It wants firms to deliver on Network Rail's commitment to use alternative rail routes during engineering works.

But train operators say there are practical problems to using other routes, such as drivers being unfamiliar with them and higher costs.

The UK rail network faces major disruption over the bank holiday weekend.

Passenger Focus believes most passengers want to stay on a train, not switch to a bus, even if it means the journey is longer or starts from a different station.

Director Ashwin Kumar said: "Passengers understand that engineering works need to happen to ensure a reliable and safe railway and it makes sense for these works to happen when fewer people are travelling.

"However, passengers would rather spend up to an hour extra on the train than change to a bus replacement service.

"Network Rail has made a commitment to ensure this happens whenever possible and the industry must deliver on this promise."

'Seven-day railway'

The passengers' group also wants the industry to ensure passengers are not charged more for alternative journeys.

Mr Kumar said: "This weekend, the quickest way of getting from London to Manchester is to avoid the engineering works by going via Leicester or Doncaster.

Fewer people travel at bank holidays, so this is the least disruptive time to undertake the work Iain Coucher Network Rail

"Yet passengers have to buy two tickets for this journey, costing them more. This is unacceptable."

Network Rail, the rail infrastructure firm, wants to achieve what it calls the "seven-day railway".

BBC transport correspondent Tom Symonds says this is the idea that there should be the same standard of service on weekends and bank holidays as there is on working days.

"We're not there yet," our correspondent adds.

Many parts of the rail network will be closed this bank holiday weekend, with passengers facing major disruption and delays.

'Timely information'

Buses will replace London Midland services between Watford Junction and St Albans and South West Trains services between Clapham Junction and Surbiton in London on Sunday.

ScotRail is also running buses between Cumbernauld and Falkirk Grahamston on Saturday and Monday, and Dumfries and Carlisle on Sunday.

Virgin Trains services between London Euston and the Midlands will also be affected, as will First Great Western services from Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton. Other areas will also be hit.

Iain Coucher, Network Rail's chief executive, said such engineering work was necessary to improve services for the future and needed to be done when lines were quietest.

"Fewer people travel at bank holidays, so this is the least disruptive time to undertake the work," he said.

He added: "There will be more than 2,000 extra trains running over the two bank holiday weekends this May than in 2008."

Passenger Focus has called for "plenty of timely and accurate information to passengers during disruption" to allow them to plan journeys, and for firms to ensure work is completed on time.