AS passengers prepare for a weekend of travel mayhem the Mayor of Greater Manchester has reiterated calls for an independent trouble-shooter to get the trains back on track.

Today is the first of nine days without trains in Bolton and RMT union announced further strikes.

READ MORE: No trains for nine days out of Bolton

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “As we come to the end of a summer of misery, it feels like rail services have now hit rock bottom.

"This is one of the busiest weekends of the year, with thousands of people travelling to sporting events, music festivals and on holiday.

"But with no rail service to rely on, the public are left to find alternative ways to travel.

“What is so frustrating is that I and Northern leaders have repeatedly been raising this issue for months with no meaningful response from the government. But we will not go quiet until the passengers of the north get the rail service they deserve.

“That’s why I again call on the transport secretary to urgently appoint a trouble-shooter to come in, bang heads together, and get the failing train services of the north back on track.”

Earlier this summer, Transport for the North wrote to Chris Grayling calling for the appointment of an independent person to oversee the delivery of train services.