THE positive news that extra trains will be diverted towards easing overcrowding on Bolton’s trains is to be welcomed.

However, with many local Labour politicians jumping on board The Bolton News “Let’s get back on track” campaign at the last minute, we must ask why any of them deserve any credit?

After all this lack of capacity on Bolton’s railways came about due to a 13-year freeze on rail investment in our area by Labour governments — with no electrification or new trains, despite having a local MP (Bolton West’s Ruth Kelly) as Transport Secretary.

As Transport for Greater Manchester admits, it was also due to the botched franchising process by the last Labour government that ensured that once passenger numbers rose there would inevitably be overcrowding.

We are pleased that our own campaigning and lobbying over a long period as part of the “Along the Right Lines” campaign and in promoting our own “ELECTRICcity” local transport investment idea, has helped play a part in changing attitudes towards local rail lines.Hopefully this is only the beginning.

Derek Bullock NW English Democrats rail spokesman Westhoughton