OVERCROWDING on Bolton train services will improve, according to the government minister for transport.

But Patrick McLoughlin MP has not given a date for the arrival of promised extra train carriages for Bolton.

Mr McLoughlin came to Manchester Victoria to announce that the bidders for the new Northern and Transpennine Franchises will be required to replace old pace trains, tackle overcrowding and accommodate more than 19,000 commuters in the city region during the morning rush hours.

The Bolton News has been campaigning for more than a year for more carriages on ‘cattle truck’ services through the borough, as commuters told of stories of people fainting onboard and fights breaking out due to overcrowding.

The Prime Minister wrote to the paper after we delivered a petition to Downing Street, promising an extra 200 seats would be put on morning services using spare carriages — freed up by the Manchester to Liverpool electrification.

The electrification of the line was delayed but is set to be completed in the coming weeks, but the government have yet to say when Bolton will see their extra carriages.

Speaking to The Bolton News, Mr McLoughlin said: “I have been aware that you have been campaigning for more capacity and I can understand the frustrations.

“We are looking to make sure that we do deliver the extra capacity right across the region.”

Electrification of the line between Preston and Manchester has now started, meaning travel chaos for rail users as Bolton train station will shut for five months at the weekends from May.

Moses Gates, Farnworth and Kearsley stations will close completely between May and October while work to make room for overhead line equipment through the Farnworth tunnel.

Mr McLoughlin said he ‘got the frustration’ of Bolton rail users but asked people to be patient.

“These things do take time, and particularly with infrastructure you can’t do it overnight”, he said.

“With electrification in some area where we are re-building tunnels, that has to be done, and you can’t build them and run trains at the same time.

“The pacer trains are going – this is going to mean better trains and this is absolutely essential.

“Unfortunately trains aren’t like cares, you simply can’t build them overnight.”

Abellio Northern, Arriva Rail North and Govia Northern are all bidding for the Northern Franchise, while First Transpennine Express, Keolis Go-Ahead and Stagecoach Transpennine Express are running for the Transpennine Express franchise.

Bidders for the TransPennine Express franchise have until May 28 to submit their bids. For Northern, the deadline is June 26.