All change, and so rude too
I USE the service between Southport and Manchester twice a week, going from Hillside to Stockport.
My normal route would be into Southport on Merseyrail, change for Manchester, change at Salford Crescent for Stockport which was all very easy and took one hour 45 minutes as an average.
Now I have to change at Southport, Victoria, Piccadilly to Stockport, however this is now going to take two hours 50 minutes!
Alternatively, I will be using the Merseyrail to Lime Street and then East Midlands train to Norwich and getting off at Stockport, taking one hour 45 minutes, so Northern Rail have lost a customer.
My one complaint, however, is the rudeness of the staff in the shop at Southport train station.
No eye contact, please or thank you and they carry on talking between themselves.
I once said: “I’m sorry to have inconvenienced you by buying this coffee,” to gain a response. “Cheers mate,” was the reply – without looking at me. I doubt that it even registered what I had said.
I now buy my coffee and biscuit from the café over the road.
As with Northern Rail, I walked to a better service and choice. John Pittam
via email
TWO-HOUR TRIP
RE RECENT criticism of the Northern rail service between Southport and Manchester.
I live in Southport and use the train on a weekly basis to visit my mother in her care home in Burscough.
If I’m lucky I manage to arrive at the station at just the right time, however, invariably I usually have to wait, as trains are delayed on a regular basis.
I have a small walk to and from the station either end, but last week it took me two hours in total to arrive home just from Burscough to Southport!
This week, three trains had been cancelled and people were crammed into a few carriages.
A businessman opposite me was absolutely fuming as he’d missed an important meeting.
Some of the trains are very comfy but sadly not all of them are.
Susan Stacey
GET IT SORTED
RE RECENT criticism of the Northern rail service between Southport and Manchester: The Mayor of Manchester has raised it as well.
Over £2,700 to get to Manchester each year and the service is shocking. Fingers crossed something gets sorted.
Lisa Abram via Facebook
HOSPITAL PRAISE
I HAVE recently been discharged from Southport DGH following the removal of a gallstone in the bile duct.
I spent some two days on Ward 10a for investigation and assessment and then three days on Ward 11b for the necessary procedure.
I do want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to all of the staff at all levels for the care, consideration and professional treatment I received.
I am happy, therefore, to express my very sincere thanks to everybody and to reaffirm to the public that they can have every confidence in their local hospital which plays such a vital part in our community. Cllr Sir Ron Watson CBE
via email
IT LOOKS SHODDY
ALMOST 20 years ago, Sefton decided to turn the car parking area in front of the town hall and then arts centre and library into a pedestrian area as part of the Princess of Wales Gardens.
Vehicles would be strictly limited to a very few.
Very expensive barriers (which kept failing) were installed, and we all lived happily ever after… Well no, we didn’t. First of all the expensive stone work was destroyed by skateboarders, and no action was ever taken against a single one, despite the thousands of pounds worth of damage caused, and many being caught on CCTV.
Then more and more vehicles seem to be allowed on to the pedestrian area, making it sometimes a case of dodging the