COMMUTERS will be hit by transport chaos when Bolton railway station shuts for more than two weeks this summer, it has been revealed.

The station will close to almost all train services between August 12 and 28 as part of ongoing work to upgrade the Manchester to Preston line and bring an extra platform back into use.

Trains to and from Manchester will be suspended and replaced with bus services, creating massive problems for commuters trying to reach the city centre and holiday-makers heading to the airport.

The fortnight of delays also clashes with the Bolton Food and Drink Festival, which brought in more than 263,000 visitors to the town centre last year and is due to be held from August 25 to 28.

During the two-week shutdown, work will be carried out to reinstate the station's disused platform five, alongside the continuing project to electrify the tracks.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "Between Saturday, August 12, and Sunday, August 27, the orange army will continue work on restoring an unused platform, modifying existing platforms and canopies as well as remodelling track, signalling overhead line work and building a new footbridge.

"Due to the improvements, the majority of train services will not run in or out of Bolton until the first service on Monday, August 28. However, trains will still run from Bolton to Blackburn and Clitheroe during weekdays. Bus replacements will be available.

"Passengers are being urged to plan their journey ahead and check before they travel on nationalrail.co.uk.

"The work forms part of the £1 billion-plus Great North Rail Project which will see faster, electric trains between Manchester and Preston."

The closure is the latest in a series of frustrations for commuters, who endured heavy disruption during the Farnworth tunnel works.

Football fans will be worried about potential disruption for any Bolton Wanderers home games scheduled in the opening weeks of the Championship season.

Northern Rail are understood to have asked the English Football League (EFL) not to schedule any games at the Macron Stadium during this two-week spell, if possible, or at least avoid matches involving large travelling fan bases coming from the Manchester direction.

Fixtures for the 2017/18 season are due to be announced on Wednesday, June 21.

A Wanderers spokesman said: "The EFL is aware. The compilation of fixtures is a complex process and the EFL will do what they can.

"More information will be circulated nearer to the time."

It is hoped that Bolton's new £48 million transport interchange, next to the train station, will be open by August, but no date has been set for its completion.

Major roadworks in Great Moor Street are expected to be finished in July.

Jeff Davies, chairman of the Bolton Rail Users Group, said that the disruption is a "necessary evil" to allow the vital upgrades to go ahead.

He added: "Obviously we regret that the station will be closed during this time, but these things are necessary when you are undergoing a large scale electrification project and, at the same time, are carrying out work to restore an old platform."

Services between Manchester Airport and Preston will be diverted via Wigan North Western and will not call at stations via Bolton or Chorley.

Trains between Hazel Grove and Preston or Blackpool North will terminate at Manchester Oxford Road, and the usual service between Huddersfield and Blackpool North will only run to Manchester Victoria.

A shuttle train service will run between Blackpool North and Horwich Parkway on weekdays.

Manchester Airport to Southport trains will be diverted via Atherton, and no trains will run on the usual Victoria to Wigan via Bolton line.

On weekdays, buses will be provided between Manchester Victoria and Horwich Parkway, Manchester Victoria and Hindley, Manchester Victoria and Bolton, Manchester Piccadilly and Horwich Parkway, Manchester Piccadilly and Hindley, Manchester Piccadilly and Bolton, and Westhoughton and Daisy Hill.

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The full timetable plans are as follows:

Saturday, August 12, 19 and 26

Manchester Airport – Preston and beyond: Trains will be diverted via Wigan North Western and will not call stations via Bolton/Chorley.

Hazel Grove – Preston/Blackpool North: Trains will terminate at Manchester Oxford Road.

Blackpool North/Preston – Hazel Grove: Trains will start from Manchester Oxford Road.

Huddersfield/Manchester Victoria – Blackpool North: Trains will run between Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield.

Additional shuttle train services will run between Blackpool North and Preston.

Manchester Airport - Southport: Trains will be diverted via Atherton and will not call stations via Bolton.

Southport/Kirkby/Wigan – Manchester Victoria/Stalybridge: Trains will run between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge.

Additional shuttle train services will run between Kirkby and Wigan, and between Southport and Wigan.

Buses will be provided between Manchester Victoria and Bolton, Manchester Piccadilly and Preston , Manchester Victoria and Preston, Manchester Piccadilly and Hindley via Bolton, and Manchester Victoria and Hindley via Bolton.

Sunday, August 13, 20, 27

Manchester Airport – Preston and beyond: Trains will be diverted via Wigan North Western and will not call stations via Bolton/Chorley.

Manchester Victoria – Blackpool North: No train services.

Additional shuttle train service will run between Blackpool North and Preston.

Southport – Stockport and beyond: Trains will be diverted via Eccles and will not call stations via Bolton.

Manchester Victoria – Wigan via Atherton: No train services.

Buses will be provided between Manchester Victoria and Wigan via Atherton, Manchester Piccadilly and Preston , Manchester Victoria and Preston, and Manchester Piccadilly and Wigan Wallgate via Bolton.

Monday August 14 to Friday August 18, Monday August 21 to Friday August 25, and Monday August 28

Manchester Airport – Preston and beyond: Trains will be diverted via Wigan North Western and will not call stations via Bolton/Chorley.

Hazel Grove – Preston/Blackpool North: Trains will terminate at Manchester Oxford Road.

Huddersfield – Blackpool North: Trains will run between Manchester Victoria and Huddersfield.

Additional shuttle train service will run between Blackpool North and Horwich Parkway.

Manchester Airport – Southport: Trains will be diverted via Atherton.

Manchester Victoria – Wigan via Bolton: Trains will not run.

Buses will be provided between Manchester Victoria and Horwich Parkway, Manchester Victoria and Hindley, Manchester Victoria and Bolton, Manchester Piccadilly and Horwich Parkway, Manchester Piccadilly and Hindley, Manchester Piccadilly and Bolton, and Westhoughton and Daisy Hill (peak hours only).