RAILTRACK is being warned that engineering work on a major rail line could cripple tourism in Lancashire as it tries to recover from the foot and mouth crisis.

The route which links Lancashire with London will be closed between Milton Keynes and Hemel Hempstead every Saturday from August 10 to Christmas.

Commuters face a two-hour bus journey between the two towns to reconnect with the West Coast main line.

Railtrack management said the modernisation programme would vastly improve the route for passengers and that consultation showed weekend summer closures caused the least disruption.

But Anthony Goldstone, chairman of the North West Tourist Board, said 16 per cent of tourism trips into the region were by train and that the effect of the work could be disastrous.

"Following foot and mouth and September 11, the plans come as a real blow to North West tourism, potentially crippling an industry whose life blood is visitors," he said.

Vast parts of the Lancashire countryside were closed off because of the foot and mouth outbreak last spring and summer and the area's tourism industry is only just starting to recover.

"Tourism is of vital importance to the North West economy. It is currently worth £1.5 billion and supports 200,000 jobs.

"The tourism industry has been vigorously promoting short breaks to the North West this year, profiting from the interest in the region created by the Commonwealth Games this summer and the cultural events which accompany it."

Brian Grey, chairman of Railfuture North West, a group campaigning for passengers, said: "That section is four tracks and they could close each two track section at a time to do the work, so part would be kept open.

"But we have been waiting for improvements like this for years and they have to do the work."

In a statement, Railtrack said: "The West Coast route modernisation programme is the largest single rail project in Europe.

"Once completed ,it will deliver substantial benefits to all who use the West Coast route in terms of faster, more frequent, more reliable train services.

"The alternatives were considered. Night working only would extend the project by months and months if not years and a complete shutdown for a period of weeks was felt to be too disruptive.

"These decisions are never taken lightly but to deliver the long-term passenger benefits, a balance has to be found between causing the least amount of disruption and allowing the builders of this project the time and access needed to get on with the task at hand."