MP joins the call for public ownership of train franchise

ROCHDALE MP Tony Lloyd joined 83 MPs from the North of England in sending a letter to the Secretary of State criticising the government’s inaction over the Northern Rail disaster and calling for public ownership of the train franchise.

Dozens of Northern services across the region have been cancelled during the past weeks and an emergency timetable was put into operation on Monday, June 4.

Mr Lloyd said: “The Northern Rail fiasco has been handled badly not simply by that company but by Network Rail and the Department for Transport. Clearly there is clear ministerial responsibility.

“It is outrageous that no modelling took place to prevent the kind of disaster that we’ve seen. I am not alone in suspecting that it’s cheaper to provide a poor service and save wage costs whilst paying some levels of compensation than to run the contractually agreed franchise services.

“My constituents are angry and quite rightly want trains which run and, importantly, run on time.

“The franchise system is not fit for purpose and the travelling public would welcome a radical solution to this systemic failure and a return to public ownership and public control.

“Government ministers must urgently put things in order.

“The travelling public, where appropriate, should receive compensation for the very real inconvenience that my constituents and others have suffered.

“Ultimately, we need to see the government take responsibility for the rail havoc in the North, and provide the same levels of investment in rail that London and the South East takes for granted here in the North.”