TWO train companies laid on fleets of buses today to ensure Christmas travellers from York got to their destinations on time.

But York-based Great North Eastern Railways were running trains to all destinations on the East Coast mainline including Scotland and London on a revised timetable. They were generally on time or only slightly delayed.

York Station was busy as the rail companies kept passengers on the move to their festive celebrations.

Elsewhere in the city, the Christmas weekend began with the Marks & Spencer food hall packed out as customers stocked up on Christmas goodies such as brandy sauce, mince pies and port.

But the expected crush of shoppers getting last-minute presents failed to materialise and city centre streets were no busier than on a normal Saturday. Wrapping paper was a popular purchase.

At York Railway Station, all northbound Virgin trains were terminating and transferring passengers to buses for Newcastle, Darlington and Durham. Staff were telling passengers it was because of "engineering difficulties".

But GNER was running services to the same destinations.

Northern Spirit was also generally on time, but was continuing its bus service from York to Leeds. Trains were running to all stations between York and Crossgates on the outskirts of the West Yorkshire city.

The National Express coach network said it was carrying between 15 per cent and 20 per cent more passengers throughout the UK than at this time last year.

BAA said Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports reported busy days, with more than two million people expected to travel over the Christmas and New Year period.

North Yorkshire police were today reporting no serious problems on the major roads around the area.

Railtrack is tomorrow set to begin its biggest Christmas engineering programme with 8,000 people working around the clock.