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Northern bosses promise 'substantial improvement'

Bill Jacobs
Local Democracy Reporting Service
PA Media A grey train carriage on tracks. It is branded with the word Northern written in blue capital letters and the small letter 'n' in coloured circles across the carriage. The front of the carriage near the door is painted blue. PA Media
Northern said it was recruiting and training more conductors in a bid to improve cancellations

Bosses of the rail company Northern have promised a "substantial improvement" in services across Lancashire.

In a meeting with the leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and Northern, councillor Phil Riley said there was a recognition that the current level of cancellations and unreliability of service was unacceptable, particularly at weekends.

He met Craig Harrop, north-west regional director for Northern and Owain Roberts, its regional stakeholder manager, alongside Lancashire County Council's rail development manager, Mike Cliffe.

The company executives said the key issues included resolving long-running industrial disputes and investing in training.

LDRS Councillor Phil Riley, who has shoulder length grey hair and is wearing a pinstripe suit jacket over an open-collared white shirt and a Labour Party rosette. LDRS
Councillor Phil Riley said the company had promised to address "unacceptable service" to east Lancashire

Mr Harrop said a shortage of conductors had contributed to high cancellation rates which Northern was addressing by recruiting and training new ones.

He also highlighted plans to enhance services starting with the introduction of a seven-day service, speed up the training of new drivers and to scrap the controversial practice of planned cancellations.

Mr Riley, who also chairs Lancashire's new combined county authority's Transport Board, said: "It was good to meet Northern senior management and to convey the ongoing concerns from local residents about the poor quality of service.

"Lots of plans were outlined and we will be meeting again, hopefully, when there have been measurable improvements."

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