Joint statement from Metro Mayors on Northern rail disruption
Joint statement on rail disruption from Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham following conversation with Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling (24/05/18)
“This phone call was welcome but took too long in coming. Northern passengers have endured months of misery and it should not have taken this long to secure a response from the Government.
What today’s discussion revealed is that there is still considerable distance between the Government’s view of this situation and ours.
During the conversation we made four clear calls for immediate action:
Although there remains significant disagreement between us and the Secretary of State on the cause of these problems and on where responsibility lies, all parties agreed that the priority is getting services back on track in the short-term.
Chaos on the North’s rail network has been so extreme and so prolonged that as a company Northern have lost the benefit of the doubt. They simply cannot be permitted to keep inflicting a miserable sub-standard service on the hundreds of thousands of passengers across our region who have had to endure dire train travel for far too long.
Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester
Funding secured to bring dozens of new electric buses to Liverpool City Region
Liverpool City Region forges closer ties with Indonesia’s second largest city
Flythrough revealed for world’s largest tidal scheme on River Mersey as Combined Authority votes to begin formal planning process
Ready, set…tap-and-go! Contactless ticketing is on track for the Liverpool City Region
New Director of Transport for Liverpool City Region appointed to lead on delivery of Mayor’s vision