“This is their mess as much as it is Northern’s” - MP blasts Government for refusing to intervene over local railway shambles

Local MP Tim Farron has criticised the Government for today saying that they would not intervene to halt the mass cancellations experienced on South Cumbrian train lines.

At Transport Questions today in Parliament, Tim urged the minister to listen to exasperated local commuters and intervene to strip Northern of both the Furness and Lakes Line franchises.

However, in response the Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said that the current problems on both lines were the fault of Network Rail - not Northern or the Department for Transport.

The number of trains cancelled on the Lakes Line since the beginning of April is well over 300.

Speaking afterwards, Tim said: "Hundreds of GCSE students continue to be stranded on train platforms across South Cumbria, while people are being forced to miss hospital appointments and days at work.

"It is simply not good enough for the Secretary of State to pass the buck.

"It was the Government who took the lines off TransPennine and handed them to Northern in the first place.

"It was the Government who scrapped plans for electrification which has led to chaos with diesel trains having to be found from elsewhere, and drivers retrained.

"This is their mess as much as it is Northern's and they need to get a grip."