MP Debbie Abrahams backs call for rail franchise to be terminated

The two mayors launched a two pronged attack on the company last week against a background of widespread dissatisfaction among commuters over the operation of rail services across the north of England.

Ms Abrahams said: “Andy and Steve are absolutely right. The Northern Rail contract has been a failure in every possible sense with delayed and cancelled trains, new services not being delivered and the dreaded Pacer trains still in operation."

She said that residents who use Greenfield station - the Oldham borough's only railway station - were being consistently let down by Northern Rail and Transpennine Express.

She said: "They’ve had to cope with an average increase in rail fares of 3.1 per cent this year at a time when there’s absolute chaos in our rail transport services in Greater Manchester as a whole.

“I’ve already told Chris Grayling (Transport Secretary), in face to face meetings, that the franchises for Northern Rail and for TransPennine Express should be brought back into public ownership.

"The standard of rail travel they are providing for rail passengers is unacceptable. The IPPR North think tank has found that while the capital has seen a £326 per person increase in public spending, the North of England has seen an increase of just £146. These are shocking figures which continue to show the under investment in our local transport infrastructure."

Mrs Abrahams has also been campaigning to get better rolling stock and access for people with mobility issues at Greenfield station.

She added: “Labour would take our railway back into public ownership as franchises expire, using savings to cap fares, and would upgrade and expand the rail network.

"Chris Grayling must act immediately by bringing this failed franchise to an end and supporting Transport for the North to deliver a modern, reliable and affordable railway network.”