More trains on track to ease overcrowding

RELIEF is finally at hand for Oldham’s rail commuters . . . the Government is letting us have our own trains back.

Transport Minister Sadiq Khan used a visit to Manchester to announce funds to allow Pacer trains — which were used on the Oldham Loop line — to be brought back to lengthen rush hour services at Greenfield and Mills Hill and other overcrowded lines across Greater Manchester.

The Department for Transport caused outrage when the Loop line was closed for conversion to Metrolink, by insisting that Greater Manchester would have to pay to use the 30-year-old trains even though the Metrolink conversion was saving the government £8 million in rail grants.

As a result of the closure, many passengers from Milnrow and Shaw drove to Mills Hill to catch a train on the Calder Valley line. But the failure to put on extra carriages led to overcrowding.

Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority chairman Councillor Keith Whitmore said: “This is welcome news for commuters, and a promising first step towards easing the overcrowding on peak-time trains.

“It will mean that passengers on 15 services every day will be able to travel on longer trains from July —– that’s capacity for an extra 959 passengers during the morning peak and a similar increase in the evenings.

“We will need to see much more of this kind of investment if we are to meet current and future demand for rail travel in the region.

“Without more carriages, we predict that rail services in and around Greater Manchester will become more crowded, forcing people on to the roads.”

Mr Khan also announced government approval of £120.9 million for two more tram extensions — to Ashton and Didsbury.

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Phil Woolas, Regional Minister for the North-West, said: “The investment, in addition to the funding for extensions to Oldham and Rochdale already announced, reaffirms our commitment to a public transport system that will rival any in Europe.”