Delayed and cancelled services were a daily fact of life for many travellers, with tales of missed job interviews and threats of disciplinary action by employers as a result of these an unacceptable state of affairs in modern day Britain.

It is therefore understandable that many passengers will treat the news of a cut in services around Yorkshire by rail operator Northern with a degree of dismay.

Worst affected is the Esk Valley Line between Middlesbrough and Whitby, which is losing three trains per day and seeing two replaced by buses, all at a time when this coastal community will be preparing for an anticipated boost in visitors.

Northern train at Leeds railway station.

And it is not just day trippers that will suffer, with the busy commuter routes between around Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate and Ilkley also set for reductions in services.

While it easy to blame Northern given its questionable record in recent years, the fault is not entirely of their own making as it wrestles with a backlog of driver training and staff availability.

This also comes against a backdrop of unacceptable fare evasion on its routes with Northern having tackled 570 fare evasion incidents on its services between Doncaster and Leeds in recent weeks.

Yorkshire deserves better levels of services and Northern must get its house in order to fulfil this. But equally the region needs more responsible passenger behaviour that does not see people expect to travel for free, thus making services poorer for society at large.

Northern timetable cuts another bitter blow for travellers but fare dodgers must receive their share of the blame - The Yorkshire Post says