The Yorkshire Post says: Conservative MPs pile pressure on Grayling over rail misery

The demand from Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake and neighbouring Scarborough and Whitby MP Robert Goodwill for action to sort out the problems on TransPennine Express will be welcomed by the long-suffering passengers on that company’s trains.

Mr Grayling cannot possibly avoid a large degree of responsibility for the failings, since they are due, at least in part, to Network Rail regulations policy around York, designed to minimise delays. Yet seemingly too little is being done to address delays on TransPennine Express.

It is high time the Transport Secretary took responsibility for the problems on our region’s railways. The buck-passing between his department, Network Rail and train operators is not good enough, and only serves to aggravate the frustration felt by passengers, especially when ticket prices are constantly being increased.

It is a measure of how deep the concern at the failings of some rail services in this region runs that two Conservative MPs feel impelled to write to a Transport Secretary of their own party urging him to take action.

Mr Hollinrake’s call for an urgent review of the entire situation is unarguable. The delays and inconvenience experienced by passengers are unacceptable, and Mr Grayling’s failure to take decisive action to address the problems is reprehensible.