Extracts from Westminster Hall debate on Northern Rail Services: Greater Manchester - June 6
Thursday, 7 June 2018 09:09
Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth) (Lab):...We realised
that the new timetable was going to play havoc with the lives of
working people using Greenfield station in particular, but the
chaos since 20 May has been far worse than we feared. Both Northern
and Transpennine Express trains have frequently been
cancelled and have too often been late as well. The TPE delays
significantly impact on constituents interchanging at Stalybridge
and have a knock-on effect on their...Request free trial
(Oldham East and Saddleworth)
(Lab):...We realised that the new timetable was going to
play havoc with the lives of working people using Greenfield
station in particular, but the chaos since 20 May has been far
worse than we feared. Both Northern and Transpennine Express trains have frequently
been cancelled and have too often been late as well. The TPE delays
significantly impact on constituents interchanging at Stalybridge
and have a knock-on effect on their arrival at work..
(Bolton South East)
(Lab):...The situation is not new. It has been going on
for years. In February 2014 I met senior managers from Northern
Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester and
First Transpennine Express to discuss the
problems with our rail services, and on 5 March 2014 I went to see
the then Transport Minister, the hon. Member for Wimbledon (Stephen
Hammond), to present a petition to him and to lobby for improved
rail services. I have had frequent discussions with Northern and
correspondence with subsequent Transport Ministers, but nothing has
changed. It is clear that rail in the north is being discriminated
against in favour of the train system in the south. I have nothing
against people in the south having a great transport network, but I
would like to see that in the north as well...
(York Central)
(Lab/Co-op):...So what do we know? Network Rail ran into
serious trouble during control period 5, not completing many of the
planned infrastructure projects, including promised electrification
upgrades. Did the Secretary of State know? Yes; he personally
intervened, cancelling many electrification projects. Hon. Members
will remember that that was the day after the House rose last
summer—presumably to avoid questioning of the kind that happened on
Monday. The right hon. Gentleman announced that trains that do not
even exist would run in the future, and said they would replace the
planned new electric rolling stock as on the Transpennine Express route...
The Minister of State, Department for Transport
(Joseph Johnson):...Northern’s new timetable was planned
to improve services for passengers across the north, and it was
intended to increase services by 1,300 a week. It was designed to
give passengers the benefits of the unprecedented investment that
we are making, including an expanded train fleet. It was also
intended to take advantage of big infrastructure projects such as
the Ordsall Chord, which has linked Manchester’s three main train
stations for the first time, as well as the upgrade of Liverpool
Lime Street and of tracks between Manchester and Liverpool. Further
investment will deliver faster and more frequent services, with
more seats, by 2020. That includes upgrading the route between
Manchester and Blackpool via Bolton and upgrades to the Calder
Valley routes, ahead of significant improvements to
the Transpennine route from next year. By
2020, all Northern and Transpennine Express trains will be
new or refurbished, with—finally—the Pacer trains entirely
gone...
To read the whole debate, CLICK
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