Rail spending hits buffers up north
Reporter: Lewis Jones
Date published: 28 December 2011
FRUSTRATED rail passengers have hit out at what they see as the effects of a lack of spending in the North-West.
The Greenfield Rail Users’ Group says a vast North-South divide in spending on rail transport is contributing to packed trains and below-par services in the borough.
They spoke up after it was revealed £2,731 per person was spent on rail transport in London compared with £134 in the North-West.
Figures from across the country also showed the South-East of England to receive £792 per person in spending whereas only £5 per head is spent in the North East.
Royce Franklin, a member of the Greenfield group, said: “The disparity in the relative costs per head between the North and the South-East will not surprise anyone.
“Unless this trend is arrested the already wide gap between the different areas of the country will intensify.
“We understand that London is the capital but there are other parts of the country and we’re losing out all the time. The differences in spending must be a contributing factor to the problems on our local lines.”
The figures were revealed after the Greenfield group carried out a survey of 45 rush-hour journeys along the Huddersfield to Manchester line.
It found that on four occasions passengers could not even board trains for overcrowding. On one evening train, a station manager asked passengers to get off and board the next train after a 30-minute wait.
Member Mark Ashmore added: “The franchise for trains which stop at Greenfield was negotiated on the assumption there would be no growth, but figures indicate numbers using the line since 2003 have increased by around 33 per cent.
“For that reason it is important the Greenfield group is able to provide as much information as possible to ensure everything is taken into account when the new franchise negotiations start in 2012.”
Members are asking locals to email passenger experiences of the line to be sent to royce.franklin1@btinternet.com.
They want to see a half-hourly service to link local stations.
