FURIOUS commuters say the reduction in train services through Bolton will make what is already a bad situation worse.

Passengers have described a situation where people are already “packed onto trains like sardines”.

Gareth Preston, aged 44, travels from Bolton to Manchester each day.

He said: “I get the train every day and its always completely packed, we are like sardines.

“I quite often see people having to miss trains because the overcrowding is so crazy — so this isn’t going to help.”

Carol Mullin, aged 60, is concerned about the reduced commuter service at 8.08am.

She said: “That service is going to be half the size and at the moment, with six carriages it is already packed full.

“That change is going to have a knock-on effect on other services and I think we are going to be seeing people missing trains.”

For Laura Whittaker, the overcrowding of trains has put her off using them altogether.

She said: “Now I try not to take the train at peak times because you have no personal space whatsoever — I think this is going to be a massive issue.”

Phil Taylor, aged 53, added: “There has been no change in this overcrowding since the year 2000 when questions were asked about the situation by a local MP in the House of Commons.

“Yesterday I couldn’t get the train at all, and the experience isn’t going to get any better.”

l WE are compiling a dossier of commuter journeys from hell. If you have had a bad journey on trains to and from Bolton email your story to liam.thorp@theboltonnews.co.uk or write to Liam Thorp, The Bolton News, The Wellsprings, Civic Centre, Bolton, BL1 1AR.