PLEASE NOTE EMBARGO - 00:01 BST, Thursday 20 September
The Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Hughes, has responded
to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) Inquiry's findings that
passengers in the city-region were "let down by rail industry
failures" during this summer's chaos on the railway.
Bev said: "The findings of the ORR Inquiry make grim reading for
rail operators, Network Rail and the government. But what it
reveals will come as no surprise to rail travellers in the North
of England, thousands of whom continue to be badly affected by a
dysfunctional system relying on ancient trains and creaking
infrastructure.
"The introduction of a badly botched new timetable in May,
alongside delayed infrastructure improvements, turned the lives
of thousands of passengers upside down. People’s family plans and
work commitments were thrown into chaos on an unprecedented
scale, and that must never happen again.
"I welcome the ORR Inquiry’s findings that, quite simply, the
industry failed to put customers first. Northern have been
rightly criticised for their poor communications and customer
information that left passengers stranded and frustrated, and
left frontline staff in the lurch.
"It is evident that there was a lack of transparency and that the
industry and Government knew of the potential problems that could
occur well in advance of the crisis. They simply failed to do
enough to prevent or mitigate the risks. This is scandalous. It
raises serious questions about whether the railways would in fact
serve the people better were they publicly owned.
"Whilst it appears lessons are starting to be learned, the
industry simply cannot be trusted to fix itself. After what has
been a woeful summer we will continue to hold those running the
railways, and the government, to account.
"The summertime shambles will not be forgotten and the service
many passengers continue to experience on a daily basis remains
sub-standard. Change and improvement must come and soon."
