Plans for ‘crowd control’ as rail services are cut

CROWD control measures could be brought in at two busy Greater Manchester train stations after rail bosses announced a reduction in services.

Northern bosses are devising plans to deal with potential crowds at Levenshulme and Heaton Chapel stations following the announcement.

They say services at both stations will be temporarily cut from four to three trains an hour from May 20 due to delays in the electrification of the Manchester to Preston line.

Meanwhile, the hourly Chester to Leeds service via Manchester Victoria, has been postponed until December 2018.

Friends of Levenshulme Station members said nearly 600,000 passengers made journeys to and from the station last year.

“As well as the reduction of services, the proposed service timings will absolutely create dangerous overcrowding at both our stations,” a group spokesman said. “We will not accept the rumoured ‘crowd control’ measures as a solution at peak times.” Members, who say they will be seeking alternative rail replacement provision, also raised concerns about a lack of consultation and expressed fears that the improved services may never happen. Northern regional director Liam Sumpter said much-needed service improvements have been deferred due to delays in Network Rail’s delivery of the Bolton electrification project.

“If the electrification had been completed on time we would have been able to release diesel trains from the Bolton line to serve other parts of the north west and enable more services to run,” he said.

Martin Frobisher, managing director of Network Rail’s London North Western route, said: “We remain committed to delivering our Manchester-Bolton-Preston line upgrade, a key part of the Great North Rail Project, as soon as possible.”

Mr Sumpter said there will be no change in the number of morning peak services to Manchester from Levenshulme, despite a reduction in off-peak services. Despite the postponements, Northern will also introduce improved services from May 20.

Two trains an hour will begin operating between Buxton and Manchester Piccadilly, there will be six trains per hour provided on weekdays between Rochdale and Victoria and an hourly Sheffield to Manchester Piccadilly service every day.

The Friends of Levenshulme Station will hold a meeting to discuss the service reduction at 7pm on Tuesday, March 27, at The Klondyke in Levenshulme.