COMMUTERS from Oxfordshire travelling to London suffered delays throughout yesterday.

Over-running engineering work on the line between Reading and London Paddington resulted in all services along the route being suspended until 11am.

The line was closed by Network Rail after an electrical fault between Hayes and West Drayton was discovered on Boxing Day during engineering works. Some passengers reported being diverted through Banbury from Oxford.

General advice suggested that people should not travel unless their journeys were essential.

Two out of four of the affected lines were back up and running by the afternoon, and a full service was expected to resume at 5.30pm.

Keith Lumley, spokesman for Network Rail said: “I can only apologise from our point of view that this has happened on the first day back after the Christmas break.

“It is a very busy time. We have got it fixed as quick as we can.

“I’m told that once this work is fixed there’s no more work that should affect trains in and out of Paddington for the rest of the holiday period.”