I would like to urge your rail commuter readers not to waste any of their valuable time on the early evening of tomorrow (February 4), talking to Northern Rail managers at Bolton Rail Station.
Their “meet the manager — we’re keen to listen” sessions are as insincere an exercise as the sham post office closure public consultations last year. Exactly one year ago, I read in The Bolton News that Northern managers invited rail users to meet with them and promote developments at Bromley Cross Station.
I went along and even took the trouble to prepare a written note of my suggestions about improvements — many involving better co-ordination, not spending money.
I did all the work for management and whilst they readily lapped up the ideas, I never heard from them again.
The assurances given proved totally worthless and chaser emails were ignored.
I am sure commuters will reply they want to raise such issues as dirty, clapped out trains, dangerously overcrowded trains and ever rising rip-off fares.
Don’t waste your time — they know all about it and will do absolutely nothing, especially since the foreign capital venture company owners of Northern Rail are not dedicated rail franchise operators.
Speaking of which, a couple of weeks ago, the head civil servant at the Department of Transport told a Committee of MPs that three rail franchise holders are on the brink of collapse.
We can only hope that the diabolical Northern Rail is one of them.
Simon Pearce Lower House Walk Bromley Cross
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