By Mayors take action over rail cancellations
The region’s mayors are to address the ‘shambles’ affecting rail services across the north in a scheduled emergency response.
West Yorkshire’s Labour Mayor Tracy Brabin, formed the emergency meeting after weeks of disruption and cancelled services.
Rail operators involved include TransPennine Express, Avanti West Coast, and Northern.
The north’s leaders are expected to make a direct appeal urging the new transport secretary to intervene said the BBC.
“Today, we as northern mayors come together to send a clear message that we will not stand for this shambles,” Ms. Brabin said.
“This is inflicting misery on millions of people, derailing our plans to build a strong northern economy and putting us in the slow lane.”
Representatives in the meeting include Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, Steve Rotheram, the Mayor of Liverpool City Region, the Mayor of North of Tyne Jamie Driscoll, and South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard.
Labour said TransPennine Express cancelled more than 40 services on Tuesday and 60 on Wednesday, blaming staffing difficulties.
On Wednesday, shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh urged ministers to intervene, saying they had “refused to lift a finger to tackle the chaos”.
Ms. Haigh said: “This ongoing fiasco is causing real damage to the public, passengers, and the economy.”
She said it was time for ministers to stop “washing their hands” and intervene. She added they should demand a “binding plan” from TransPennine Express for “urgent improvements”.
Ahead of the meeting, Ms. Brabin said: “The North has been left behind for far too long, and we’re calling on the third transport secretary in as many months to step in with an immediate intervention.”
