Harrogate MP blasts overcrowding on trains

Mr Andrew Jones told the Harrogate Advertiser he fully backed a commitment to 'reconnect with people' made by the new team running trains in the north.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough MP said the top priority among a range of problems his constituents wanted addressed was to end "human sardining" - or overcrowding on rail carriages.

Mr Jones, a former rail minister, said: “The major complaint is punctuality and until this is addressed – or a plan with timescales is formulated that will address it – public confidence will be slow to return.

“The punctuality issue is linked to the overcrowding issue. Too often delayed or cancelled trains have led to overcrowding on subsequent trains.

“Many constituents have contacted me frequently about this ‘human sardining’ and a glance at the Twitter feeds shows just how desperate the situation has been.”

The MP's remarks follow new figures showing the town had the most cancelled train service in Britain.

Since the introduction of new timetables in December last year, the 7.13am Northern Rail service from Harrogate to Leeds has been cancelled on 28 out of 55 days, according to ontimetrains.co.uk

While the Government has puts pressure on the new team in charge of railways across the north to come up with an improvement plan within a 100 days, commuters here are still waiting to see what impact the change of ownership will have.

Harrogate has most cancelled rail service in Britain

The MP said he understood the frustration of passengers but was encouraged by the early signs after the Government stripped private operator Northern of the franchise and took back control of services.

Mr Jones said: “That one of Northern Rail’s services on the Harrogate line was the most delayed in the country according to the Sunday Times can hardly be described as ‘news’ to anyone who used the service.

"This lack of resilience and punctuality is why the Government decided to removed the franchise from Arriva Trains and hand it to the newly-formed Northern Trains Ltd – the so-called operator of last resort.

"I am encouraged by the new consultative board so far consistingh of leaders from our area’s big local authorities; Councillor Judith Blake from Leeds and Mayor Andy Burnham from Manchester among others.

“They have instituted a deep clean of the trains.

“While on the Harrogate line we enjoy refurbished rolling stock, there are just the last few pacers remaining on some lines and they are generally filthy.

“Northern Trains Ltd’s chairman Richard George has promised to listen to current customers and those who the service has lost.

“My plan is to support the Northern Trains Ltd team in bringing forward that plan and moving quickly into the recovery phase for our local services.”

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