Longest train trip is faster

Rochdale residents travelling by train over Easter face a fare hike to avoid slower routes — sometimes involving buses — during Easter engineering works.

Passenger Focus, which has offices in Manchester, is calling on the industry to advertise alternative rail routes and run extra services on these lines so that fewer passengers affected by the works are forced to make longer, slower journeys.

It says that passengers should be able to travel on the most convenient rail route without penalty and train companies should offer compensation to passengers that have no choice but to travel by rail replacement bus.

Because of engineering works in the Midlands on the West Coast Main Line, the quickest way to travel between Manchester and London over the holiday is actually via Doncaster.

Travelling by TransPennine Express and National Express East Coast to Kings Cross would take only three hours and two minutes.

Because of work between Rugby and Milton Keynes on Saturday, services from the North-West will terminate and start back from Rugby.

An hourly shuttle train will operate in both directions from to London Euston via an alternative route through Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire — making the quickest Virgin journey to Euston 3 hours and 47 minutes.

But taking the faster trip will cost passengers an extra £16 because it is not a “permitted route”.

Ashwin Kumar, Passenger Focus director, said: “Once again, many passengers will be facing severe disruption over the Easter holiday. Passengers understand that engineering works have to be done but they must be planned by the industry to lessen the effect on passengers.

“The industry must also think about travel from the passenger’s point of view and not make it hard to take alternative routes when these are more convenient. Why should passengers pay more for a longer, less convenient journey?”

“Passenger Focus is seeking a pledge from train companies and Network Rail that they will always seek to ensure that during planned engineering work, bus replacement services are used only as a last resort.”

But a spokesman for the Association of Train Operating Companies which draws up the permitted routes said: “We sit round the table with the operators to decide the permitted routes — and Passenger Focus attends the same meeting.”

Take the rail trail to an Easter adventure

Adventure-seeking youngsters can meet aliens, explore the Tardis, watch jousting knights and make their own eggs — thanks to a money-saving rail deal.

Northern is offering savings on tickets to a number of popular destinations including The Royal Armouries in Leeds, Eureka in Halifax and The Life Science Centre in Newcastle — and children get half price travel.

The Royal Armouries in Leeds is hosting an authentic medieval jousting tournament for four days over Easter including Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Sunday with a grand finale on Easter Monday.

Alongside the jousting tournament there will also be treasure hunts, falconry displays and live hand-to-hand combat.

At Eureka, kids get in free with every paying adult and they get the chance to meet a mysterious time-travelling doctor and visit the Tardis — blast off into space with Aliens, The Oraks, and learn all about the Solar System until Sunday, April 19.

Life is set to get gooey at The Life Science Centre in Newcastle as the world of chocolate is explored, visitors also get the chance make their own small Easter eggs and an all-new 3D Dino Island ride is launched.

Families will also get the chance to explore the science of fire and flame in Flame On in the Life Theatre — travel there by train and one child gets in free with every paying adult.