End of line for Northern Fail
MINISTERS are planning to dump Northern Rail amid fury over late, cancelled and overcrowded trains, Boris Johnson said yesterday.
The PM said the Government was “also looking at the whole way the franchising system operates”.
He spoke after Yvonne Fovargue, Labour MP for Makerfield, called on him to “commit to stripping them of their franchise”.
Mr Johnson replied: “I share her outrage... we are developing contingency plans for a replacement for Northern Rail.” The Commons exchange came as bosses from Northern, First Rail, Arriva and TransPennine Express apologised to the Rail North Committee in Leeds for their poor services.
Figures show just 56 per cent of
Northern trains arrived within a minute on time last year, compared to the UK average of 65 per cent.
The committee singled out TransPennine Express by threatening to set a deadline to improve services. Greater Manchester mayor
Andy Burnham said: “It’s a kind of last-chance saloon. People of our region are not prepared to put up with misery inflicted on their lives.”
Earlier South Western Railway admitted its own franchise could be axed after losing £137million.
Rail firms have blamed infrastructure problems, delays in the delivery of new trains, bad weather, strikes and sickness for their woes.
The Department for Transport is deciding whether to rip up Northern’s contract or let it continue with a short-term one .
A spokewoman said: “The
Government will shortly bring forward a White Paper that will put passengers first, end the complicated franchising model and simplify fares to create a simpler, more effective system.”
Meanwhile, former Chancellor George Osborne urged the Government to go ahead with the controversial HS2 project to help raise the Midlands and North “to the sort of standards of wealth enjoyed in London”.
He said: “HS2 is absolutely critical to changing the economic geography of this country.”