West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper has welcomed Transport Secretary’s comments on Northern rail, but renews her calls for less talk and more action, she said:

“I have taken every opportunity through Prime Minister’s Questions and Questions to the Transport Secretary to make clear to Government just how bad my constituents and commuters in the north have been treated over a long period of time.
“I of course welcome the comments from the Transport Secretary but what we need now is action and not just more talk. We need to see a new operator in place, trains running on time and urgent investment in carriages on Northern’s services.
“I have been inundated with complaints from residents about Northern’s outrageously poor service during the last two years, and even over the Christmas period passengers were left stranded because of wholesale cancellations.
“There is a duty to provide a rail service fit for the needs of passengers, passengers who pay their taxes and their fares but get little in return.
“Northern should be stripped of its franchise immediately because of its abysmal performance and commuters including my West Lancashire constituents given a fair deal.”