Virgin Trains has introduced a number of Cheap Day Return tickets between Glasgow and Northern England for travel in mid-July.

Return fares between Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle and Glasgow will be reduced by 25% during the nine consecutive days of engineering work between July 13 and 21 (inclusive) for passengers travelling back on the same day.

The offer coincides with Glasgow Fair weekend, one of Scotland’s busiest public holidays, when thousands of families traditionally travel south of the border.

A Cheap Day Return from Glasgow to Carlisle will cost £17.40, compared to the normal £23.20 Off-Peak fare. Passengers travelling to either Oxenholme or Penrith in the Lake District will pay £22 instead of £29.50, while those heading to Lancaster will pay £23.50 against the normal £31.30 fare.

Essential maintenance work being carried out by Network Rail will see the West Coast Main Line closed between Warrington Bank Quay and Preston, resulting in no direct services from London Euston/Birmingham New Street to Edinburgh and Glasgow Central. However, travel north of Preston will not be significantly affected.

Gary Iddon, Virgin Trains’ General Manager for Scotland and North England, said: “We recognise that passengers will be affected by this work and we’re doing everything we can to ensure that alternative travel arrangements are put in place for them. We will have extra staff deployed within stations to ensure that passengers get the appropriate information and can find their connecting services easily.

“We’re delighted to be able to offer a significant price reduction on a number of fares between Lancashire, Cumbria and Glasgow, where travel will not be significantly affected. We would encourage the public to take advantage of these.”