Simon Calder

People travelling over the Easter weekend are set to face long delays and cancellations due to engineering works on the rail network.

No trains will run into or out of Euston, which is likely to disrupt fans travelling to the Fa Cup semi-finals.

Heathrow, Gatwick and Stanstead Airports will also be affected.

The timing of the closures has been described as " ludicrous" as it is The First Bank Holiday where all legal Covid restrictions have been axed.

Simon Calder , travel editor at The Independent newspaper added: " Far more people [are] travelling at weekends now than during the week and now they find they can't go anyway and that's something Network Rail has to address. "

Network Rail said it was undertaking a £22m upgrade project and has advised people to travel either side of the Bank Holiday .

Many air passengers have already experienced a bad start to their holidays, after

British Airways and Easyjet blamed staff shortages for the problems.

Mr Calder said " over-optimism on the part of the airlines" for the delays, and warned air travel could be problematic throughout The Holidays .

" The pressure is going to be on this coming weekend and The Thursday and Friday before the Easter weekend, " He Said .

Here's how London airports are affected:

Network Rail , which manages rail tracks, said there was but Easter was an opportunity to carry out " essential work".

Dave Penney , passenger director for the North West and Central region, said: " Long Bank Holiday weekends continue to give our engineers The Time they need to close The Railway for complex jobs like track replacements and bridge overhauls while disrupting the fewest number of people. "

If you are planning to stay in London, your journey could still be fraught with delays and diversions,

TfL said customers should check before travelling and acknowledged the closures may be frustrating.

" Easter is an ideal time for us to undertake essential improvement works on The Network as demand is lower and The Four day weekend means we can do complex works that take longer, " a spokesperson said.

" We'd encourage customers to check before they travel, using our website or the TfL Go app. "

Network Rail is advising Manchester City and Liverpool fans against travelling by train to Wembley Stadium on 16 April as trains from the North West will terminate at Milton Keynes Central, potentially leaving fans stranded.

Chiltern Railway says it's offering including Gerrards Cross , Oxford Parkway, High Wycombe and Beaconsfield, but those services are expected to be very busy due to closures Elsewhere .

or travel by car or Tube to Wembley Park .

Source of news: bbc.com