Northern franchise enters new future

As of today, Sunday 1 March, the running of Northern trains has been taken over by the government, after recognising the service had fallen short of delivering a suitable service.

The takeover was announced in January, after the government said the rail network had fallen 'far short of delivering the service passengers need and deserve' whilst the Transport Secretary said the franchise was no longer "financially sustainable."

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/132539/government-to-take-over-running-of-northern-trains
• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/132261/northern-rail-franchise-can-only-continue-for-months-says-transport-secretary

The government operator has launched a new panel to provide ongoing advice on how services will be run. Political leaders, including Andy Burnham from Manchester and Judith Blake from Leeds, will be joined by regional leaders, passenger representatives and industry leaders on the panel, which will be led by Richard George, the chairman of the operator.

The government has also announced that overcrowding on Northern’s network will be a priority focus for improvement, with new technology being trialled to identify crowding pinch points. Work is underway to extend platforms at 30 stations across the network to allow for longer trains and improve journeys for passengers.

Capacity will be further boosted with the roll-out of more electric trains across the network next year, in addition to the extra capacity already being delivered by the new fleet. A major deep cleaning program has also commenced today, along with an overhaul of on-board cleanliness, to make sure carriages meet the high standards passengers deserve.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “This is new era for rail in the North, but there will be no quick fix for the network as we build solutions for the future.

“Today marks the beginning of rebuilding of trust in these services, and voices from the region will be essential as we work together to understand and deliver the improvements passengers need.

“Our aim is to give the North of England more powers over their railways, restoring the confidence of passengers and delivering a network they can truly rely on.”

Chairman of the government’s operator, Richard George said: “The panel announced today will play a crucial strategic role as we look to transform services across Northern’s network, putting the needs of passengers first.

“By collaborating with local leaders, we’re taking a step towards reconnecting the railways with the people of the North. We need to improve performance and also provide passengers and their elected representatives with the confidence that their concerns are being addressed.”  

The Transport Secretary has tasked the operator with delivering a new vision for the North’s railways, restoring confidence for passengers and delivering tangible improvements, but has made clear that the complexity of the challenge means transformation will not take place overnight.

The leadership of the government operator will be using the first 100 days running services to prepare an ambitious plan, consulting with passengers and leaders across the North to improve the service.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: "It is time Government gave passengers in the North the same level of commitment they have given passengers in London.

"Thousands of passengers are impacted every day by delayed trains crawling through central Manchester. This has a knock-on effect for the whole of the North as services get delayed and platforms get overcrowded.

"Improving capacity on the Castlefield Corridor in Manchester is essential if we are going to fix the railways in the North. But, frustratingly, Network Rail and Ministers continue to put it off and drag their feet.

"Building two new platforms at Manchester Piccadilly has been reviewed multiple times by Network Rail and each review has concluded that the work must be carried out. If the Prime Minister wants an example of a 'shovel-ready' project that will bring benefits to the entire North of England then he should commit to investing in the Castlefield Corridor in the forthcoming Budget."