‘Crazy’ state of sardine service

FIVE years of commuter misery could be on the cards for rail passengers caught up in the Metrolink fall-out.

Councillor Jack Hulme said it was still “utter confusion on what remains of the Rochdale line through Mills Hill and into Manchester.”

He said a shortage of carriages meant trains arrived at Mills Hill bursting at the seams.

Passengers were either unable to get on or had to stand squashed like sardines for the length of their journey.

He admitted an extra carriage had been added at peak times, but said there were still horrendous problems throughout the day.

Councillor John Dillon explained that part of the problem was down to the line not being electrified and only being able to carry diesel trains.

He said Sunday services relied wholly on volunteers coming forward to man them.

“It’s absolutely crazy,” he said.

He added that 106 extra carriages had been promised to the North-West from 1,300 pledged nationally, but because local trains were diesel, the Rochdale line could only look forward to getting 20-year-old second-hand carriages.

Councillor Richard Knowles said: “Not a single carriage has been ordered for the north of England.

“Because it is heavily reliant on diesel lines we have lost out, and all we will get are a few 20-year-old cast offs. Unless we get more carriages the overcrowding problems we face will continue and get worse for at least five years,” he predicted.”