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Duo to take rail views on board
Reporter: KEN BENNETT
Date online: 19 November 2009
Woolas and Knowles will meet passengers
A battling commuters’ champion is taking an MP and a rail expert to meet frustrated passengers on overcrowded trains.
Eileen Smith, of Springhead, has highlighted the headaches by keeping a log of journeys to Manchester by bus and rail after the closure of the Oldham loop-line.
On one journey from Lees, the bus made 44 stops before reaching the city.
Polls carried out by Oldham’s Tory councillors at Chadderton’s Mills Hill Station found one morning rush-hour train was cancelled twice. And of the four trains which did run, an average of 71 passengers found there was standing room only.
Councillor Jack Hulme said: “On one 7.37am service the guard refused to allow people to board due to overcrowding. In total, 86 passengers were left behind.”
Mrs Smith has got Phil Woolas, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, and transport expert, Councillor Richard Knowles, from Greenfield, to meet commuters.
They have been at loggerheads since Mr Woolas accused Councillor Knowles of “whinging” about on-going issues.
Councillor Knowles sent an angry letter to the MP saying the Government’s commitment was for 1,300 extra rail carriages nationally before 2014 to ensure overcrowding was at least no worse than last year.
Mrs Smith said: “Instead of falling out, everyone should be trying to resolve these problems. There is just no let up in the daily misery for rail travellers.
“Despite extra carriages on peak-time journeys, trains are packed to the doors. Travelling, whatever time of day, can be a nightmare.
“There are often rows between passengers because of the frustration of being packed in like sardines.”
Mr Woolas, who has been in discussions with Transport Minister Lord Adonis about the problems, said: “I will be delighted to join Mrs Smith and Councillor Knowles on a train journey to meet passengers.
“We need more people in the public arena to highlight these problems to ensure they can bring pressure to see them resolved.”
Councillor Knowles added: “I use the railways every day and I am more than happy to travel with Mrs Smith and Mr Woolas to discuss issues with fellow travellers.”
Comments
Its alright talking about poor service on the buses & trains (Nothing new). But it now taking a lot longer by car, my journey time has increased by 20-25 mins..... More pollution etc. SAvE THE PLANET ha ha ha
This is happens when you privatise public transport. Nothing substantial will get done because the politicians and the owners are too cosy.
Meet other passengers ? Only if they can get on !
And when do they plan to do this? I have also got logs of late trains, over crowded trains, cancelled trains, inadequate facilities at Mills Hill, platform not being gritty and left icy because the weather man didn't tell Northern Rail it was going to be icy, leaves not being cleared, no information boards to say if train late etc
Going into Manchester by bus or car has become a nightmare. Hopefully things will improve when Metrolink is ready but 2 years is a very long time to have to put up with the present state of affairs. Commuters feel utterly let down by the broken promises to put in a good interim system.
We need more people in the public arena to highlight these problems to ensure they can bring pressure to see them resolved.”
Eh? Is this proof Woolas has finally lost it? aint that his job when he comes to Oldham to find out for himself? (ohhh election time soon sure we will see more of him soon keep reading!)!
i am a great believer in all things good when it comes to politicians doing something
i am a person that uses the trains and the buses and when it comes to overcrowding especially on trains something should be done and i hope it will be done
It's not Chadderton's Mills Hill Station its Middleton's. The only rail staion left in the borough is Greenfield.
Councillor Knowles is the Victor Meldrew of Saddleworth!
We know Woolyass knows nowt about the problem so this is an electioneering trip on the gravy train, train. Little Pip sqeaks of having 'discussions, with Adonis, a mythical being, about the problems. Nowt's happened there then. Now he wants us to do his job & 'apply pressure'. Why is Knowless continually referred to as a 'rail expert'? Is it because he catches the train from Greenfield each morning? If so, there are hordes of people at Mills Hill station every morning more qualified than he.
WAC, oldham doesnt have any rail stations. greenfield isn't in oldham either! its in the republic! Knowles is classed as a rail expert because of a qualification he got many years ago. probably back before beechings cutbacks where implemented.
Have Your Say
all this and i bet nothing will be done about it.
By fedupoldhamer @ 19/11/2009 14:57:21