Metro mayor urges passengers to join in backlash against Northern Rail

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, has called for the Transport Secretary to make stripping Northern Rail of its franchise his first act following the General Election.

And he is asking residents across the Liverpool City Region and the North to join his campaign by signing an open letter, ensuring that the Government hears loud and clear from passengers that enough is enough.

The open letter to the Transport Secretary says that “travelling by train in the North of England has become a nightmare for passengers forced to contend with unending delays, cancellations and overcrowding on services operated by Northern … we deserve better than this second-class service.

“As passengers from across the North we say ‘enough is enough’ and we are demanding that you strip Northern of its franchise without any further delay.”

This renewed call for action comes after recent figures from Northern revealed that fewer than half of its trains arrived on time between October and November this year.

Steve Rotheram said: “The people of the North cannot be expected to wait any longer for the terrible performance problems on Northern to be addressed.

“With yet more fare hikes planned in January, passengers cannot be expected to continue to pay more and more for this second class service.

“The Transport Secretary must strip Northern of its franchise without any further delay and I hope people in Merseyside and Halton and right across the North will join me in making this call.

“There can no longer be a culture on our railways where there is no consequence for failure and given the disruption we have seen on TransPennine Express this week, if they do not improve their performance they should be next after Northern.”

In October Transport Secretary Grant Shapps warned Northern that he was considering taking control of its franchise due to its poor service.

Mr Shapps issued a “request for proposals” from the firm and the Operator of Last Resort (OLR), which could lead to services being brought into direct government control.

Northern Rail has been contacted for comment.

The open letter to the Transport secretary can be signed here.