CRUNCH MEETING ON LOCAL TRAIN OVERCROWDING

12.06.00pm GMT Tue 1st Dec 2009

Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell will today meet with key representatives from across Greater Manchester for a crunch meeting on rush hour train overcrowding throughout the region.

The meeting will take place on Tuesday 1st December, and will see MPs and Councillors from across the region discuss the issue, and try to chart a way forward to tackle the problem. It will also see Cllr Keith Whitmore, Chairman of GMPTE, report back from a recent meeting with the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis.

Andrew Stunell has been campaigning hard for more train carriages on the Manchester-Hazel Grove route for some time. In February, he did achieve a victory by persuading Northern Rail bosses to let the through train from Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton, stop at Hazel Grove station, offering an extra train for commuters to use during rush hour.

Commenting ahead of the meeting, Andrew Stunell said:

"Commuters in my constituency are looking for urgent investment in extra carriages to end the massive rush hour overcrowding on local routes. All that is needed is for the Minister of Transport to agree that we can use the surplus trains on the Oldham Loop line.

"Getting the Buxton train to stop at Hazel Grove in the evening was a start, but passengers still can't get on trains because of overcrowding and access problems.

"This is an important meeting that will help shape our strategy for helping Greater Manchester commuters get the fair deal they deserve."

ENDS