Islwyn MP Don Touhig has said the decision to stop trains between London and South Wales for 10 days over Christmas and the New Year as “simply appalling.”
Over the Christmas period rail passengers who want to visit family and friends face chaos as Network Rail announced plans to shut the service between Bristol and Newport for engineering works from Christmas Eve until January 4 2010.
Rail services between Newport and Bristol and Newport and Gloucester will be replaced by coach services on December 27.
Mr Touhig has now, raised the issue with the Transport Secretary Lord Adonis who said he would look into the matter.
The Islwyn MP, who uses the service regularly, said: “In the week that it has been revealed that Iain Coucher, chief executive of Network Rail is paid £947,000, it is simply appalling that people will not be able to travel to South Wales by train over the Christmas period.
“This decision is going cause misery for so many people who rely on the train to visit family and friends. It is for this reason why I have asked the Transport Secretary, Lord Adonis to ask why Network Rail has taken this decision over the Christmas period.”