Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill Marple Trains

Opened the debate

William Wragg moved an adjournment debate concerning the temporary suspension of services on the Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill via Hyde line, scheduled for three months starting next week. He highlighted Northern's reasons for suspending services due to driver training programme delays and workforce issues but argued that these problems should have been anticipated earlier. Wragg emphasised the importance of consultation with local bodies before such decisions are made and raised concerns about the impact on schoolchildren and commuters. He called on the Minister to prevent the complete removal of service, prioritise driver training for the line, and ensure new trains are allocated. The MP stressed the need for a reliable rail service post-pandemic and praised the work of local friends groups in advocating for better services.

Government Response

Chris Heaton-Harris acknowledged the concerns raised and explained that Northern made the decision to suspend services due to driver training backlogs exacerbated by the pandemic. However, he announced that Northern would reintroduce two morning peak trains and an afternoon service from September 14th to meet school demand. The Minister assured that restoring a reliable timetable remains their priority and thanked Wragg for his persistent efforts in advocating for this issue. He also criticised the Liberal Democrats for not making representations despite running a campaign, highlighting the effectiveness of working together within the Government to achieve results.