It’s November and a lot of people will rightly be looking forward to enjoying the upcoming festive season. After all, Christmas is the time of goodwill for all. Unless of course you are a rail passenger in the North.

Mayors across the North are right to raise concerns about rail operator Northern’s reduced timetable in the run-up to Christmas. Especially when 155 services are being cancelled in a day.

Apologies from the rail operator mean nothing when there is an absence of a plan in place of cancellations.

Earlier this week, the Government said it was “laying the ground” for Northern Powerhouse Rail, by confirming funding for the entire Transpennine Route Upgrade in the Budget.

A Northern Rail train at Dewsbury Train Station in 2023.

placeholder image — A Northern Rail train at Dewsbury Train Station in 2023.

But that will only sound like jam tomorrow for many frustrated passengers in this region. And the reduced timetables only serve to show the desperate need for performance to improve in here and now.

The failure to do so is having a negative ripple effect across the region. Commuters are struggling to get into work. Family time is being disrupted. And the economy is being hamstrung by poor transport links.

High streets that are already facing a tough time are not being helped by substandard rail services and there will be little Christmas cheer for them if customers are unable to get out. As Andy Burnham pointed out, Christmas markets will also suffer.

To add insult to injury, train fares will increase by up to 4.6 per cent next year and the price of most railcards will rise by £5.

The absurdity of the railway network is laid bare by the fact that Northern admitted to still using fax machines to communicate with staff. Perhaps passengers have been using the wrong mode of communication to register complaints all along.