article_snippet: Passengers have been told by rail companies not to travel by train this Easter as the closure of major routes will cause chaos.
article_snippet: Beleaguered travellers have been warned that ‘this Easter is cancelled’ as far as trains are concerned and many key services will be axed.
article_snippet: Passengers face travel chaos this Easter as Britain's busiest rail routes are expected to launch major engineering projects (file picture)
article_snippet: A Virgin Trains spokesman said: ‘this Easter is effectively cancelled – our line is shut.
article_snippet: What makes it worse this time is that the alternative routes that passengers might normally switch to are also shut because of the engineering.
article_snippet: Failures: Poor planning, equipment failures and communication breakdowns contributed to the Christmas train chaos, including a crush at Finsbury Park (pictured), a  report has found .
article_snippet: However, the warnings have brought fears of a repeat of the last fiasco endured by 115,000 passengers at Christmas when the key West Coast main line was crippled by overrunning engineering works, prompting a major inquiry, damning rebukes from ministers and watchdogs, and a grovelling apology from rail bosses.
article_snippet: Cancellations: The report found that when work near King's Cross overran the trains were switched to start and finish at Finsbury Park station but 'not enough was done' to manage passenger flow at Finsbury Park station .
article_snippet: Under a large headline on Finsbury Park station website, Virgin Trains warns passengers of the impending Easter chaos with the words:
article_snippet: Rail bosses say carrying out works during Christmas and Easter is justified as passenger numbers are down by up to 40 per cent because there are far fewer commuters.
article_snippet: But ministers have suggested carrying out such works at times other than at Christmas and Easter – such as through the summer – to avoid hitting families travelling during the key holiday periods.
article_snippet: Mr Carne said: ‘We are acutely conscious that many people want to use the railway during the holidays to reunite with many people friends and families, which is why the vast majority of the network is running normally over the holiday period, but there will be disruption for some.