I AM getting increasingly frustrated with reporter Dale Haslam’s negative observations on the local rail network (The Bolton News July 14).

Network Rail, Northern Rail and Trans Pennine have all gone to great lengths to fully publicise the “blockade” caused by the work on the Chorley tunnels and flying arches for more than six weeks.

Large signs have been erected at every station between Preston and Manchester Airport, to ensure that the travelling public have had sufficient time to digest everything properly.

In addition notices highlighting the weekend working on July 5/6 and 12/13, which was preparatory work for the blockade have been in-situ since end of May at Chorley and other stations.

It is custom and practice for a rail replacement bus service is the normal process for engineering work lasting less than four/five days or engineering work which does not affect weekday commuters.

Customers are also reminded to check train times before they travel, especially at the weekend in case engineering work has disrupted the normal timetable.

This is what we have all been waiting for the start of modernisation programme for this corridor.

Mr Haslam must have been walking past these engineering posters at Chorley for the past six weeks.

The summer holiday period was specifically and sensibly selected to inconvenience the least number of passengers.

Network Rail is faced with an electrification modernisation programme along a route with major engineering/ structural “headaches”.

The rail operators and Network Rail have made it crystal clear there will be inevitable disruption and there is no way modernisation of the rail network can be achieved without some major inconvenience to passengers.

Cllr David Chadwick Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport