Rail passengers can't get off train - because the station isn't open

A late-night intercity train is unable to make a scheduled stop because the operator of one station is refusing to keep it open long enough.

Virgin's London to Manchester service is scheduled to stop at Nuneaton, Warwickshire, every night at 00:39. But London Midland, which operates the station, refuses to pay staff to work that late.

Speaking to the BBC, Mark Whitelegg, from the Nuneaton, Bedworth and Hinckley Rail Users' Group, said: "The new service was brought in on 9 December but it became clear Virgin had advertised it without consulting London Midland.

"They now seem to have got themselves into a right pickle.

"People have booked tickets to Nuneaton and they can't get off at the station. Instead Virgin is paying for taxis to get them from Rugby to Nuneaton."

Mr Whitelegg said many other London Midland stations were left open at night and he could not understand why Nuneaton station had to close.

"First of all, Virgin made a hash of introducing the service by offering something they couldn't deliver," he said.

"But now London Midland seem to be very inflexible about providing a solution.

"We're hoping we can meet with them both to sort out this farce."

A spokesman for Virgin told Railnews: "We are looking for solutions to this issue. But in the meantime online systems have been amended to remove the stop at Nuneaton."

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