The work in the centre of Bath will mean up to 35 replacement buses per hour entering the city in run up to Christmas, claims the council.

In a statement, Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) said this would prove very disruptive.

Network Rail said it had tried to minimise disruption and added there was no good time to carry out the work.

BANES said in a statement: "We are very disappointed Network Rail has chosen one of the busiest periods of the year to send up to 35 coaches per hour into Bath for these weekends, despite our objections.

"No consultation with the council took place to understand the impact this decision would have on the city and the roads.

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ROW OVER RAIL COACH INVASION

Bath Chronicle: September 13, 2008

Council chiefs have attacked rail officials over the timing of engineering work which will clog Bath with coaches in the Christmas shopping season.

Bath and North East Somerset Council is angry that Network Rail has chosen to carry out the work around the city on six consecutive weekends - starting on October 11 and 12.

Train operator First Great Western will have to replace its rail services with coaches on the weekends in question.

The authority says the work will lead to up to 35 coaches an hour coming into the city in what it describes as "the busy run-up to the Christmas period."

In June, council chief executive John Everitt wrote to Network Rail asking it to postpone the work until January, but the organisation has ruled out any delay.

B&NES transport cabinet member Cllr Charles Gerrish said: "The council is very disappointed that Network Rail has chosen one of the busiest periods of the year to send up to 35 coaches per hour into Bath for these weekends, despite our objections.

"No consultation with the council took place to understand the impact this decision would have on the city and the roads.

"Because of the time of year selected by Network Rail it is likely their own coaches will be delayed in addition to maximising inconvenience for businesses, shoppers, and visitors. Unfortunately, there is little the council can do except do except mitigate the impact of this situation imposed upon us. We have no powers to delay these works from happening."

Mr Everitt's letter had warned that traffic in the city centre was already being disrupted by work on the SouthGate shopping centre which includes the area around the railway station where the coaches will be concentrated.

His letter said: "The prospect of this happening during the Christmas shopping period gives me great concern.

"Major redevelopment work is going on in the area around Bath Spa Station at present, including the construction of a new bus station adjacent to the rail station.

"Inevitably, the work involves considerable disruption to traffic and restricted road widths.

"Although through access for buses has been maintained, most bus stops in the vicinity of the station have been relocated away from the construction site. It is inevitable that the large number of coaches required to provide alternative transport for rail passengers will block the roads around the rail station, thereby causing considerable disruption to local bus services and through traffic.

"I am also concerned too that many shoppers will be deterred from visiting Bath on the closure weekends with a consequent adverse impact on retail businesses during this critical period."

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said its work programmes were set 18 months in advance and that it was not possible to change them now.

She said liaison with the council over the impact of the extra coaches was down to First Great Western.

"We are doing this investment work to improve the rail and really there is no good time to do this work" - Network Rail spokeswoman

"Because of the time of year selected by Network Rail it is likely their own coaches will be delayed in addition to maximising inconvenience for businesses, shoppers, and visitors.

"Unfortunately, there is little the council can do except do except mitigate the impact of this situation imposed upon us. We have no powers to delay these works from happening."

A Network Rail spokeswoman told BBC News the work was essential.

"We plan 18 months in advance and if there was any way we could carry out the work while the trains were not running we would do that," she said.

"They are concerned that bus services are coming into the city. They are hired by First Great Western.

"We are doing this investment work to improve the rail and really there is no good time to do this work."