Commuters’ vent fury at ‘inhuman’ rail trip to the city
FURIOUS TRAIN Commuters have spoken of their ‘inhuman’ daily journey from Rochdale into Manchester city centre in ‘crushed’ overcrowded carriages which has left people fainting and regularly being late for work.
The part of the journey between Mills Hill station in Middleton and Manchester Victoria takes just 12 minutes, but travellers have told our sister paper the MEN morning trains only have two or three carriage,s making it cramped and uncomfortable.
Early trains on the route are often delayed or cancelled, creating a backlog of passengers all trying to board the same train.
Grim video taken by the MEN captured the misery commuters say they face every working day.
Designer Emma Duncan said: “I’ve fainted before because it’s too hot and too crowded.
“I don’t remember exactly what happened but I think I’ve just slid down because there’s nowhere else to go. I try to get near the door so it’s got a breeze.
“It’s really bad, I’ve taken pictures and put them on Twitter and Northern Rail have just said they’re ‘working to improve it’.”
Emma pays around £82 a month for her train ticket but often spends extra to take a bus or taxi instead if the train is cancelled.
She added: “I’m having to make up time at work for being late in the mornings, but luckily I’ve got a good boss who’ll let me do that.”
One commuter has become so fed up with the awful service she’s written a letter to watchdog group Transport Focus, Chadderton North councillor Barbara Brownridge and MP for Oldham West and Royton Jim McMahon on behalf of ‘Northern Rail’s disillusioned commuters’.
Dawn Tucker, from North Chadderton, said: “When only two carriages arrive in rush hour we often can’t get on the train.
“If you are lucky enough to be able to board the train the conditions are inhuman.
“People frequently pass out on the 07:50 train due to crushed bodies and very little air.
“On several occasions tempers have been frayed due to the desperation of individuals wanting to board full trains and confrontations have taken place.”
Dawn, who works as a senior agent at Barclays, added: “We are informed by Government and Railway Companies the rail travel is improving.
“We the commuters can testify on a day to day basis this is simply not true.”
Another commuter, Kevin Gibson, told us his commute wasn’t worth the money and that he would go back to cycling when the weather is better.
Kevin said: “From the five to train right the way through to the 25 past through to the 20 to 8 they’re all late.
“Generally you’ll get one that was on time but that’ll be overcommitted because of all the other trains running late, or it’ll be a carriage short and be down to two carriages. Most of the time not everybody can get off the platform, you’re always leaving someone behind.”
Liam Sumpter, regional director at Northern commented: “We apologise to everyone who has had a bad travel experience with us; we appreciate how frustrating service issues and overcrowding can be.
“I would like to reassure customers that we always seek to use all available carriages.
“However, this is a particularly busy rail corridor and over the last few months a number of infrastructure and weather incidents have impacted performance.”
“Through our current modernising programme, we are working to create more space on our trains and add over 2000 new services by 2020.
“This work will include the removal of Pacers, to be replaced by 281 new, purpose built, carriages, with the rest of our fleet refurbished to a very high standard.”
“In the meantime we have taken all of the issues raised on board and will do everything we can to deliver a more reliable service on this route.”