Total and utter chaos...
summer, but we can add to their misery the recent dark, freezing cold mornings on station platforms that are less than adequate, many with little shelter from the ele- ments, and barely fit for purpose.”
Mr Sheerman said the HS2 “vanity project” should be halted and the £100bn used for investing in the existing rail network.
“What happened to the Northern Powerhouse? What happened to those promises of investment in our region?”
He added: “It is really simple: deep into the 21st century, towns and cities in Yorkshire should be connected by a regular, good, safe service that everyone can depend on.
“How can it be that my constituents and I cannot get to Bradford easily from Huddersfield?
“Why has the line between Huddersfield and Wakefield (Westgate) been closed, with a tremendous impact on those places?”
Mrs Walker said passengers expected a regular service and seat to sit in.
She revealed that just 4% of trains had been on time at Slaithwaite in recent months with frequent two – three-hour gaps without any service.
She said: “Sadly, the reality for my Colne Valley constituents travelling on the TransPennine route to either Leeds or Manchester is that they are packed like sardines on trains with not enough seats available.”
Ms Brabin said she agreed with a constituent who said the rail network had “descended into farce” and said her constituents were “sick and tired of feeling like second-class citizens”.
She said: “Every time I visit Batley station, commuters are eager to share their anger : anger at the packed train that does not stop and whizzes past ; anger at the cancellation announced seconds before the train is due to arrive; and, for those lucky enough to cram themselves on to a carriage, anger that they are paying so much for the privilege.
“Now, almost eight months on from the timetable debacle, I discover that Batley station is ranked in the bottom 15 in the whole nation for performance.
“Over the last six months – bear in mind that Batley is a small station – 459 services have been cancelled.
“Less than 10% of services overall have been on time.
“There are frequent cancellations and severe delays.
“For the privilege of all that, they pay among the highest fares in Europe.”
Responding to the Kirklees MPs points, Rail Minister, Andrew Jones, said he agreed rail performance in the north had been unacceptable but said the government was still playing “catchup” on under-investment dating back to Labour’s years in power.
The final word went to Miss Sher- riff, who said: “I am incredibly disappointed by the Minister’s response. He did not respond to a number of points.
“Once again it seems that sorry is the hardest word.
“He can be in no doubt – he must have heard loud and clear – that things need to improve and must improve.”
Miss Sherriff also criticised the 16 Yorkshire Conservative MPs who failed to turn up to the debate.
Thirsk and Malton MP, Kevin Hollinrake, was the only Tory member to do so.