A COMMUTERS' pressure group claims even station staff were kept in the dark about changes to rail services yesterday.

Engineering work on the North-East rail network meant passengers boarded buses rather than trains at some stations.

Services between Darlington, Dinsdale, Eaglescliffe, Middlesbrough, Yarm and Northallerton were all affected, with no Trans-Pennine services stopping on Teesside.

Transport 2000 claims posters and timetables variously carried partial or inaccurate information, while staff at Hartlepool were unaware that six extra trains would be running between Hartlepool, Stockton, Billingham and Darlington as a result of diversions being introduced.

A spokesman for operators Northern Spirit said: "There is engineering work, and trains throughout the day are being replaced by buses. People who are travelling will be looked after."

But Transport 2000 Cleveland spokesman Brian Milnes said: "Basically all local services on Teesside are being changed out of all recognition, due to engineering work, but the lack of information is appalling.