‘Sardines would complain’ on our packed trains

Peak-time commuter trains through Greenfield are so over-crowded, drivers are having to slow down on health and safety grounds.

That’s the view of Councillor Richard Knowles, who has written to Heidi Mottram, managing director of train operator Northern Rail, about packed carriages on the Huddersfield to Manchester Victoria line.

Councillor Knowles, a geography professor and transport expert at Salford University, told her the 7.20am service from Greenfield on Wednesday was “standing room only from Greenfield, packed from Mossley and grossly overcrowded from Stalybridge.”

He added: “Dozens were unable to board at Ashton and were stranded until the next train 43 minutes later.

“The train was so overloaded, the crew announced that the driver would proceed at low speed to Manchester on safety grounds.

“Some 120 people were standing. I travel to London regularly, but the overcrowding on this line is worse than on the London Underground. Sardines would complain.”

A spokesman for Northern Rail apologised.

He said: “Unfortunately, due to a shortage of available trains that day, we were unable to provide the planned level of capacity.

“The train used was taken out of service at Victoria to allow a fault to be rectified. A replacement was provided to run the remainder of the journey to Southport.

“In January, 2008, the Government announced an additional 1,300 carriages to be introduced between 2009 and 2014. Of these, 182 were scheduled for Northern Rail. We are working closely with the Department for Transport on the detailed planning for their introduction.”