'No quick fix' to Burnley and Pendle rail problems with Government take-over of Northern

Pendle based Liberal Democrat peer, Lord Tony Greaves, asked what action the Government will take following the end of the Arrival Northern franchise “to ensure that passengers buying tickets for the East Lancashire service to Brierfield, Nelson and Colne will be able to complete their journeys to those stations.”

Lady Vere replied: “The end of the Arriva Rail North franchise will not impact on the railway’s day-to-day operations. The business will continue to operate as usual with no impact on Northern services. The only difference passengers should notice is services gradually starting to get better.”

Lord Greaves, who is also a Pendle borough councillor, described the response as "a real let-down."

He added: "‘Business as usual’ on the Colne line means passengers all too often being turfed off trains at Accrington or Burnley and left to their own devices. If there is ‘no impact’ on services what is the point of the Government nationalising Northern Rail? ’Gradually’ is just not good enough.

“At the very least they must make sure that passengers get taken to the Pendle station they have booked for – whether it means a bus or taxis if the train has been turned back. Will Pendle's MP Andrew Stephenson now sort this out please?”

Lord Greaves also revealed that the stations at this end of the Preston line are some of the very few in the country where the number of passengers is going down, and added: “Is it any wonder, when trains don’t even arrive?”