COMMUTERS are expected to face at least a week of disruption following the Cumbrian rail crash until track repairs are carried out.

Virgin Trains said it would be running full normal services south of Lancaster today, but added that coaches would be still be in use to avoid the affected section of track.

Customers travelling to Carlisle and Glasgow are advised to board coaches at Preston that will then take them to Carlisle before onward trains carry on to Glasgow. Those wanting intermediate stations at Oxenholme and Penrith have been asked to connect at Lancaster for a coach service.

A Virgin Trains spokesman said: "Following Friday's derailment in Cumbria, we will be operating a revised timetable on some of our services.

"We expect these arrangements to be in place for at least a week. GNER has been accepting Virgin tickets and an extra train was on from Glasgow Central this morning down the east coast."

Passengers with advance purchase tickets affected by the disruption, can travel on an earlier train than the one they were originally booked on.

l For more information, call National Rail Inquiries on 08457 48 4950 or visit nationalrail.co.uk or log on to www.virgintrains.co.uk