Pressure grows on Grayling over rail services
Mayor tells Northern it is in ‘last-chance saloon’
BELEAGUERED TRAIN operator Northern was last night challenged to offer commuters “substantial” compensation and fare reductions as it starts to scrap scores of scheduled services.
The call came from Greater Manchester’s metro-mayor Andy Burnham, who warned that the firm was in the “last-chance saloon” as a new “interim” timetable is introduced from today.
It comes as Labour demands an emergency Commons statement from under-fire Transport Secretary Chris Grayling before the Minister holds a series of private meetings with the region’s MPs this evening.
Those due to attend include Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Deputy Speaker of the Commons, who has written a scathing letter to Mr Grayling about the disruption being suffered by his North-West constituents.
Challenging the Minister to “take control” of the rail franchise and, like the East Coast Main Line, bring it back under public control, he warns: “The Government has placed huge emphasis on the value of the North of England, yet the much-vaunted powerhouse can never be taken seriously if people cannot travel by train.”
This was backed up by Henri Murison, head of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership set up by George Osborne, the former Chancellor. In a tweet, he said Mr Grayling may “come under even greater pressure” and “be unable to continue” in his role if he does not give Transport for the North the power to hold Network Rail and train operators to account.
In his uncompromising letter to TfN chairman John Cridland, Mr Burnham said that Northern was likely to benefit financially from the operation of the reduced timetable.
“Northern have already left people seriously out of pocket and turned their lives upside down with their chaotic services,” he added. “I have heard countless stories of people forking out for taxis, hire cars, hotels and extra childcare but unable to get compensation for it.
“Now that Northern are unilaterally cancelling thousands of services – that many season ticket holders have already paid for – passengers must be properly and fully compensated. If they are not providing the promised new May timetable by early August, then steps should be taken to strip the franchise from them.”
Despite cancelling 165 services from today, Northern insists it will still run more trains than it did before last month’s timetable change, and expects to “get back to a full timetable service by the end of July”.
Asked to response to Mr Burnham’s remarks, a spokesman said passengers could apply for compensation in the normal way. “We are exploring ways of extending it, but I can’t give you any details because we don’t have them.”
A Department for Transport spokesman said Mr Grayling was in “regular discussions” with train operators and the new timetable will ultimately deliver more services.
IT’S AN irony of timing that the cancellation of scores of trains – a consequence of the North’s timetable fiasco – should coincide with the launch of an industry review into fares, and whether they should be based “on quality of service” in future.
All those passengers caught up in this scandal will be incredulous that the Rail Delivery Group and the anonymous Transport Focus watchdog have chosen today of all days to launch this consultation – they just want to plan their journeys with some confidence after the worst delays in living memory.
Yet, while the relentless rise in fares has not been commensurate with improvements to the quality of services across this region, the priority, at present, is for the whole industry to work round the clock before lasting damage is done to the region’s economy.
This is why underfire Transport Secretary Chris Grayling must, for once, front up and answer questions – in public – on the floor of the House of Commons today before he, and his deputy Jo Johnson, hold private briefings with MPs. In doing so, he needs to address three prescient points.
First, the complaint by Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, that the decision to axe 165 services a day as a shortterm measure was taken with “no prior consultation, no approval nor offer of compensation”.
Next, the call by Lindsay Hoyle, the Deputy Speaker of the Commons, for the Northern franchise, just like the East Coast route, to be brought back under public control.
Finally, the sensible suggestion by Henri Murison, the head of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, for Transport for the North to be given powers to oversee Network Rail and infrastructure improvements. If the Macavity-like Mr Grayling shies away, and does not set out a clear plan to improve services, his position will be even more untenable.