A TOP government minister is to be shown a report about commuter train chaos from The Bolton News as part of a local MP’s campaign to improve the town’s rail service.

Dr Brian Iddon, who represents Bolton South East, will send a copy of Saturday’s story to Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon to highlight how overcrowded rush hour services have become.

And his Parliamentary colleague David Crausby, who represents Bolton North East, last night revealed he has already been lobbying Mr Hoon and rail minister Lord Adonis to improve services on packed carriages.

Dr Iddon said he was shocked by the report, which featured in The Bolton News on Saturday.

He said: “When I read that article, I was astonished that a train had turned up with only one carriage. There’s no excuse for it.

“I’m also astonished to learn that the Government can control the amount of rolling stock the companies can use.

“We can’t let this situation of overcrowded carriages continue.”

Dr Iddon said the Government’s long-term plan to build a central high-speed train line from London to Manchester via Birmingham would relieve some of the pressure on commuter services.

His opinion was echoed by Mr Crausby, who said: “What we need is more carriages on trains. They’re frequent enough, but they’re just not big enough. I’ve written to Geoff Hoon and rail minister Lord Adonis and they assure me that discussions are ongoing.”

Mr Crausby also said the overcrowding on trains was proof that Greater Manchester was not ready for the congestion charge.

“People would have started getting ready for it by getting the train, and they’re just too full.”

Former Transport Secretary, and Bolton West MP, Ruth Kelly, said the Greater Manchester congestion charge would have allowed a greater increase in train capacity: “It is regrettable that proposals outlined in the Transport Innovation Fund would have led to a further increase in train capacity for commuters, however, the majority of those who voted in Greater Manchester, including Bolton, rejected these plans,” she said.

She added she had received a number of complaints about train delays over Christmas: “The Department for Transport has been liaising closely with the major train providers to bring in extra carriages on train services.

“This is expected to lead to an increase in capacity of up to one third on Northern Rail services over the next five years and I understand that TransPennine Express are also in discussion with the Department for Transport regarding extra train carriages.”