Littleborough rail misery

Councillor Janet Emsley

Transport for the North bosses have been accused of spending too much time ‘blue sky thinking’ on grandiose new rail and road plans - but neglecting the urgent needs of Littleborough commuters.

Councillor Janet Emsley said: “Littleborough and Smithy Bridge rail passengers are being treated like cattle every working day as they are crammed into overcrowded and worn out carriages or left stranded on the platform.

“Commuters are getting pretty fed up about hearing about the huge investment plans for the future - yet rail bosses are incapable of adding a few carriages to the Leeds to Victoria service, so people can get to work in Manchester on time.

“Last week Transport for the North announced £30billion investment plans over the next 30 years for schemes such as HS2 and a new motorway to Sheffield. That’s all well and good but local passengers need something doing now.

“John Cridland, the boss of Transport for the North, should try getting on a train at Littleborough at rush hour. Then he’ll find out just how hollow his pie in the sky plans sound.

“It is all jam tomorrow while local commuters are jammed into overcrowded trains today.

“When Northern Rail were awarded the new franchise for the Calder Valley Line they gave a commitment to double the number of train carriages from two to four by March next year. I understand this deadline has already slipped and there is now no firm date.

“This is completely unacceptable. We need action now, not in 30 years’ time, to deal with the overcrowding. To add insult to injury, in this bitterly cold weather they don’t even bother putting the heating on some trains.

“Fares continue to go up and the service gets worse.

"I am demanding action today. We need a doubling of the carriages or extra trains in the rush hour between Littleborough and Manchester. Nothing less will do.”