MORE misery is on the way for train passengers next month, as though there is not enough already in stations around Bolton.

It seems that reducing the number of services on the line between Bolton and Manchester is not enough inconvenience for rail bosses' liking, so they are closing another line.

From July 17 to August 24, there will be no trains between Bolton and Blackburn and it will affect passengers using Hall i' th' Wood, Bromley Cross, Entwistle and Darwen.

In credit to the train operators, they publicised the Bolton-to-Manchester work widely and way in advance, yet the same cannot be said for this latest programme of work.

It was mentioned on the Northern Rail website on June 9 and promoted at stations, but not on the same scale as other works.

Passengers are, rightfully, frustrated at the prospect of boarding replacement coaches for six weeks, especially when many of them have already paid for season tickets.

The most confusing aspect of this work is that the benefits will not be enjoyed until 2017. So why must the work be done now?

Perhaps rail chiefs are getting all the pain out of the way at once and getting value for money out of the replacement coach contract.

On the bright side, local councillors are pleased that the work will mean the Bolton-to-Clitheroe line will have two trains an hour — one more than now — from 2017 and that can only be a good thing in the long run.

I hope that, in two year's time, we will be looking back on this as a tough period for train customers to battle through, while enjoying the rewards.

What we are told is those rewards will be more trains that are kinder to the environment, quieter and have more carriages and more space.

One thing is for certain — after all this upheaval, we will deserve it.