By Harry McMullen
Many Northern Rail customers using Bradford Interchange, New Pudsey and Bramley were unable to board their trains last week due to more delays, cancellations and overcrowded carriages.
Network Rail figures show that 88 per cent of the morning peak hour trains between Tuesday and Friday last week were late or cancelled.
The open data feeds for trains travelling from Bradford Interchange to Leeds (via New Pudsey and Bramley) between 07:17 and 09:21 show that of the 40 trains scheduled, 32 arrived late and 3 were cancelled completely.
Passengers took to social media to vent their frustration at the service. Some customers had to spend money on taxis due to the delays.
@northernassist I had to get a taxi because this train was so delayed and I needed to get home. Can I claim a refund for a mobile ticket and how do I do it? pic.twitter.com/SXrSQZLXtH
— Simone Hoggart (@hog_thoughts) 18 October 2018
Elle Raynor-Balmforth, 23, of Myers Lane in Bradford uses Northern Rail services to travel from Bradford Interchange to Leeds for work every morning. She said: “What should be an easy ride to work turns into a fight to find a space or a squash against the door.
“I worry constantly if I will be late for work due to delayed or cancelled trains therefore meaning I have to plan ahead and set off for earlier unnecessary train times.”
Thomas Harrison, 23, of Wyndy Ridge Thornton also uses Northern Rail services to travel from Bradford Interchange to Leeds for work. He said: “They [Northern] only provide two carriages, making us cramped on the train. Sometimes passengers at New Pudsey and Bramley are unable to board due to the lack of carriages.”
Since 2016 Northern Rail have owned the franchise rights for the rail services in northern England but have been widely criticised for the level of service.
In May 2018, the mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, publicly wrote to Transport for North (TfN) asking the body to investigate the service and passenger conditions.
Likewise, in June 2018 an e-petition was started by a member of the public, asking the Government to undertake an investigation into the conduct of Northern Rail (pictured below).
Northern Rail have been in dispute with their own staff, leading to dozens of instances of industrial action.
Despite trying to contact Northern Rail, Yorkshire Voice has yet to receive any response.
However, in a press conference earlier last week, the company unveiled plans to invest billions into the region’s rail networks under the TfN project Northern Powerhouse Rail.
According to Northern Rail, work on the project is set to start in 2020 to bring high speed rail to every city in the north, whilst creating up to 85,000 jobs in the process.