Delayed and cancelled trains to and from Stansted Airport sparked “Monday misery” for holidaymakers.
An “unexplained track defect” between the airport and Stansted Mountfitchet station closed tracks at 8.30am today while emergency repair works were underway, Network Rail said.
All services into Stansted were cancelled or delayed by around an hour until at 1pm.
Stansted Express services terminated at Bishop's Stortford with railway replacement buses running along the rest of the route.
Furious passengers took to Twitter to voice their concern over delays.
Richard Brown wrote: “The UK doesn't quite have the monopoly on the Replacement Bus Service but they might as well have. Monday morning misery from Stansted.”
Jon Siva added: “Absolute joke. Paying extortionately high prices for a train aptly named "Stansted" express that takes you as far as Bishop's Stortford.”
Passengers travelling between London Liverpool Street and Cambridge were advised to use Great Northern services from King’s Cross.
A spokeswoman for Abellio Greater Anglia said: “Customers for Stansted Airport are advised that National Express run coaches between Liverpool Street / Stratford and Stansted Airport however Abellio Greater Anglia tickets are not valid on these services and a new ticket will have to be purchased.
“Arriva Bus route 510 and local route 308 operates between Stansted Airport and Bishops Stortford, however Abellio Greater Anglia tickets will not be valid on these routes and a new ticket will have to be purchased.
“We are sorry if your journey is affected by this problem.
“Network Rail Engineers are working as quickly as possible to resolve this problem and restore a normal train service.”
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