CHRISTMAS cancellations: it feels like we've been here before doesn't it?

In short, anyone who is hoping to travel into London from north Essex between December 23 and January 1 - think again.

And before we all go blaming Greater Anglia for every problem on our rails, the period has been selected by National Express to allow its engineers to carry out multi-million pound work to install new overhead wires on the line at Ilford.

Greater Anglia is not in control of the maintenance of the rails, but they are certainly an uncomfortable middle man.

As is their right, the company will charge any passengers who do travel to the city full price.

That's often what wrangles when these announcements come to pass.

We presume the period has been selected because there is, traditionally, a huge drop off in the number of people commuting to work in the week between Christmas and New Year.

But it is certainly not a quiet time.

There will be people who hope to socialise in the capital as well as people hoping to spend in the sales.

This decision is going to affect many, many people.

Each time these decisions are made, we are reminded by train bosses how good life will be once the work is complete.

But when will that be?

How much longer do we have to put up with weekend and holiday time bus replacements?

Is there an end in sight?

Perhaps, as a special treat, Father Christmas will bring us all the same present this year? - a clean run to London.