Weekend of chaos triggers renewed call for train trouble-shooter

Rail passengers face a long weekend of disruption on the region’s railways with Northern set to cancel scores of services this Sunday – the fifth weekend in a row.

This, combined with the start of a nine-day closure on the Bolton line, industrial action on Saturday, and the closure of Euston station this weekend which affects services from Manchester to London, throws railway services into further chaos on the Bank Holiday weekend.

Earlier this summer, Transport for the North wrote to Chris Grayling calling for the appointment of an independent person to oversee the operational delivery of train services and rail infrastructure in the North, and bring in accountability across the rail industry.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “As we come to the end of a summer of misery, it feels like rail services have now hit rock bottom. This is one of the busiest weekends of the year, with thousands of people travelling to sporting events, music festivals and on holiday. But with no rail service to rely on, the public are left to find alternative ways to travel.

“What is so frustrating is that I and Northern leaders have repeatedly been raising this issue for months with no meaningful response from the Government. But we will not go quiet until the passengers of the North get the rail service they deserve.

“That’s why I again call on the Transport Secretary to urgently appoint a trouble-shooter to come in, bang heads together, and get the failing train services of the North back on track.”