Northern Rail has responded to the announcement that was made by the Department for Transport last night.
If you did miss the announcement (it was quite late!), then you can click here to read more into what the announcement was about.
The following plans have been put forward to Chris Grayling and Jo Johnson:
- Improve driver rostering to get more trains running
- increase driver training on new routes to get more train services on the line as quickly as possible.
- Additional contingency drivers and management presence at key locations in Manchester
- More peak services in the timetable along the Bolton corridor. This includes Buckshaw to Manchester Victoria and Preston to Manchester Oxford Road
What did the officials say?
David Brown, Managing Director at Northern, said:
“We are doing everything we can to minimise cancellations and delays and keep our customers informed. It has been difficult for many of our customers, in particular on a number of routes around north Manchester extending up to Blackpool, and we are very sorry for this.
“We are introducing 1,300 new train services a week, and fitting in these and other train companies’ services has meant that we have had to change 90% of our timetabled trains. This is the biggest modernisation that the Northern railway has had for generations.
“The new timetable was planned and delivered in 4 months compared to the normal 9-12 months because a key improvement – electrification of the Manchester-Bolton line – has been delayed and this meant rewriting our plan and then training drivers at the last minute.
“We know the situation isn’t good enough and for that we are truly sorry. We‘re implementing actions that we have agreed with the Department for Transport. Our customers deserve better and that’s what we’re focused on delivering.”
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Responses
I think that Chris Grayling and Jo Johnson should focus more on electrification projects such as electrifying the Bolton Line, Great Western electrification (such as electrifying to Cardiff Central and Swansea as well as electrifying the Welsh Valley lines and local suburban lines in the Cardiff area, electrifying to Newbury and Oxford). And electrifying the Lickey Incline between Walsall and Lichfield Trent Valley with Class 323’s to be used on the Lickey Incline & Chase Line once the electrification is finished. And also the electrification on the Midland Main Line between Bedford-Kettering and Corby with extension of the electrification to Market Harborough and possibly as far as Leicester. With Bi-Mode trains to be ordered as well to be used on the Midland Main Line.
The franchise is only 2 years old and already crumbling. They new of the requirements for new services years ago yet they have failed to properly plan and recruit for them. Even though they have been delayed.
No sign of the new MD anywhere, awful passenger communications and demoralised staff and passengers. All in 2 years that is some achievement….