CHAOS is set to continue for rail users this Christmas as the York to Leeds line shuts for two weeks.

An "express bus service" is to replace trains between December 16 and January 1 while Railtrack commission signal equipment as part of the £156m upgrade of Leeds station.

A Railtrack spokesman said Christmas had been identified as "a quiet time of year" for the work, but which involves major track and overhead line work.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the closure," he said. "This work has been planned for months."

He added that it was part of a scheduled project and nothing to do with post-Hatfield repairs.

The Manchester Airport service will be diverted via Wakefield and journey times will not be affected.

Between December 16-22 an express bus service will run and there will be services from York to Crossgates, near Leeds.

From December 23 to the end of the year there will be a stopping service from York to Leeds, but the only direct services will be by bus.

A spokesman for Northern Spirit said: "We apologise to passengers for the disruption to services for this essential work."

The decision has been met with outrage with by passengers.

Chris Gomersall, 25, from Tang Hall, who regularly visits his family in Leeds, said: "It is scandalous. After all that has gone on with the trains already, it is disgusting that there should be this inconvenience as well."