I AM increasingly concerned at the appalling state of the peak-hour railway service from Bromley Cross station to Bolton and return.

Until recently, I felt fortunate to live close to a local railway station. However, my two sons now regularly use the service to travel to college and to work. On several occasions, the carriages have been so packed that they have been unable to get on the train and have been late for lectures and work.

On closer observation, it is clear that at peak time at least three carriages are required on the service, but regularly passengers are compressed like cattle into two carriages with the unfortunate few left standing on the platform to wait 30 or 60 minutes for the next train.

It is distressing enough to witness this daily scenario, but even more farcical to witness four almost empty carriages being hauled up and down the line on the Sunday service. The reason for this, I am told from reliable railway sources, is that it is cheaper to have the carriages running on Sundays than for the railway companies to pay the siding parking fees.

Clearly, the railway management need to enter the real world with a forceful impetus from our local councillors and Members of Parliament.

Until a 21st century public transport infrastructure is operating from Bolton to Manchester and beyond, there is clearly no possibility of road pricing schemes, or of any further significant population expansion in the area.

Dr I G V James, Chapeltown Road, Bromley Cross