Northern rail failure as just 45.4 per cent of trains on time as pressure grows on Grant Shapps – The Yorkshire Post says

Less than half of Northern trains now running on time as under-fire rail operator blames congested network

Yet, even judged by the standards travellers have become accustomed to, Northern’s latest performance is especially dismal. Significantly less than half of services ran on time over the month to November 4, and some trains on busy routes including Harrogate to Leeds never managed to do so at all.

This is how Grant Shapps can put Yorkshire’s failing rail franchises out of their misery now – Tom Richmond

This is no way to run a railway. The figure of only 45.4 per cent of services operating to the timetable marks a new low for Northern and passengers are entitled to ask what is being done to make the trains upon which they are obliged to rely serve them properly.

Blame Network Rail for train delays and not Northern – Yorkshire Post Letters

Nothing like enough, is the totally unsatisfactory answer to that. There is an unedifying mix of factors at work here, all of which combine to create a service that is simply failing to perform anything like adequately.

Why these eight broken promises over Pacer trains here are Chris Grayling’s legacy of failure – Tom Richmond

The shortcomings of Northern itself, with its fleet of reviled Pacers, are being compounded by the problems in Network Rail’s maintenance programme, which is aggravating delays. And presiding over both is a Department for Transport characterised by a lack of leadership and accountability.

Huge train delays and cancellations expected after two trains collide near Leeds Station causing commuter chaos

In a little under a month, we will have a new Government. Putting the interests of passengers first on the railways must be amongst its most urgent tasks.