Northern Rail has been stripped of its franchise and taken back into public ownership, after years of misery for its customers.
The service has been plagued with problems and transport secretary Grant Shapps warned at the start of the year its days were numbered.
Run by Arriva Rail North, it operates most of its services from
Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and Hull.
Its passenger satisfactions ratings are among the lowest in the country, yet travellers still faced a 2.7% hike in ticket prices this month.
Northern’s franchise is the second to be re-nationalised, after the main intercity east coast service was brought into public ownership through the government’s “operator of last resort” in 2018. About time. Delays & cancellations under Northern Rail have been getting worse and worse and worse. But Govt also needs a proper plan to invest in our northern railways, trains and stations so we get a fair deal. https://t.co/GRFNlVHaOc— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) January 29, 2020Reacting to the news,
Labour MP Yvette Cooper tweeted: “About time. Delays & cancellations under Northern Rail have been getting worse and worse and worse.
“But Govt also needs a proper plan to invest in our northern railways, trains and stations so we get a fair deal.”
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