Engineering work is taking place on the West Coast main line as part of plans to reduce journey times between Birmingham and London.

Trains travelling to and from Manchester Piccadilly will not stop at Stoke-on-Trent and will be diverted via Stafford and Wilmslow.

Alternative transport will be laid on for the worst affected areas.

Least number

Transport secretary Dr Kim Howells said people should only travel over the weekend if they had to.

He said: "There's never an easy time to do it.

"I really sympathise with people who are going to be affected.

"But believe it or not a bank holiday weekend is when there are the least number of people travelling.