COUNCILLORS have welcomed prime minister David Cameron’s pledge to put 200 extra seats on Bolton’s overcrowded rush-hour trains.

Members unanimously backed Cllr John Walsh’s motion to welcome the news, announced in The Bolton News’ following our ‘Let’s Get Back On Track’ campaign.

Cllr Walsh said he hoped the announcement to put more carriages on the morning trains from December 2014 will ease some of the pressure on commuters, who faced cramped, ‘cattle truck’ carriages in the mornings.

He added: “This is a positive step forward.

“Now, we need to see these extra seats are delivered, and we will stand up to be counted. I hope that it is progress and it does take us forward.”

But Cllr David Chadwick, the council’s lead on transport issues, said the town’s three MPs need to be recognised for their role in campaigning for the extra seats — which will come on carriages that are 27 years old.

He added: “What Cllr Walsh should be saying to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State is what is really needed is coherent medium to long term plans for the rail industry.

“Two hundred seats is equivalent to two to three carriages during the rush hour.

“This should be taken in the context of the lost of one Transpennine Express Train per hour to the West Coast Line, of 400 to 500 seats.”