A train is to make an extra stop to help passengers who have switched to Rail to avoid the A34 roadworks in Oxford.

The Hereford to Paddington train will stop at Hanborough station, on the Cotswold line, at 8.47am all this week.

Rail chiefs hope the extra stop will avert the chaos which passengers faced yesterday when the Hereford train was cancelled.

A two-car commuter service, run by Thames Trains, was so packed that the conductor could not get round to collect the fares, allowing many to travel free.

When it reached Hanborough, there was no room for passengers who had already paid their fares to a conductor on the platform. One woman who stepped off the train for some fresh air, found she could not get back on and was left behind.

Commuter trains to and from Oxford have been packed as motorists try to avoid the chaos caused by roadworks on the A34.

Hanborough passengers will also get an extra evening service. The 5.12pm Paddington to Hereford train will stop there at 6.15pm. The extra stops will be reviewed by train operators Great Western at the end of the week. Andrew Cooper, the company's general manager, said hundreds of people were using rail because of disruption on the roads.

He said: "Great Western has reacted to ensure they can get to their destination quickly and easily."

Hundreds of rail passengers were still stranded for more than an hour this morning after a points failure at Kennington.

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