YOU know there must an election coming when a Government minister arrives in town to talk about topical issues.

Last week, it was the turn of transport minister Patrick McLoughlin, who arrived in Manchester to tell Bolton rail passengers that services will improve.

The MP for Derbyshire Dales says he "got the frustration" of Bolton rail users and added: "We are looking to make sure that we do deliver extra capacity right across the region."

That is all well and good and maybe he is genuine, but we have heard it all before.

Last year, Prime Minister David Cameron came to the Bolton News offices and promised much the same.

Not only has it not happened yet, but we have no timescale for when it will.

A cynic would say Mr McLoughlin is raising people's hopes in a bid to get their vote, but without giving any firm promises about when it will happen.

Perhaps I would think his concerns were more sincere if he actually experienced what Bolton train passengers experienced on the dreaded Northern Rail pacer trains.

In credit to the Conservative MP, he does often catch the train from his constituency to London.

But I would imagine you can actually get a seat on those inter-city services and that there is leg room, wheelchair access, heating, ventilation and working toilets.

It seems that even Mr McLoughlin gets fed up with the train sometimes as, according to his recent expense claims, he often takes that 130-mile journey to London by car.

To get a real feel for our daily frustration, he needs to take the train in Bolton.

So, Mr McLoughlin, if you do want to experience first hand what train passengers here have to cope with on a daily basis, I would be happy to show you.