Michael Dugher, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, responding to the Transport Secretary’s warning to rail travellers not to travel this weekend, said:

“Outof touch Tory Ministers have got form when it comes to screwing up important public holidays and causing misery for rail passengers by allowing massive shutdowns of the network without bothering to ask the necessary questions of Network Rail. 

"Whilst we support essential engineering work and improvements, there is no evidence that Ministers have learnt the lessons from the Christmas rail chaos and adequately scrutinised the scale of the planned engineering work or ensured that there are robust contingencies in place. 

"The Tory-led Government has ignored warnings in the past and there can be no excuses this time.

“As usual, it will be hard-pressed passengers who want to travel to see family and friends or watch sport over the Easter period who will suffer.

“That’s why we need Labour’s better plan for the railways: action on rip-off fares, but big changes to see more public control and for the first time a strong passenger voice in the running of our railways.”