[An article for the Conservativehome website by Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps, 23rd July 2020. Interesting that he uses a passenger’s experience of the delights of commuting between Marsden and Manchester as an example of why things need to change. The previous Secretary of State never gave the slightest indication that he even knew of the existence of Marsden and other communities on the route between Manchester and Leeds.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A regular user of this line describe[s] her experience of this route, using it to reach Manchester from her home in Marsden before she gave up in frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Standing room only at peak times is a given. Home time is worst \u2013 trains regularly cancelled, so it means platforms are crammed with two or three trainloads of stressed-out people, and when the train eventually arrives it is every man and woman for themselves. People just surging forward knowing that if you don\u2019t you will be left on the platform. Then the poor conductor comes round to throw people off who\u2019d otherwise be hanging out of the doors.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
There are fights \u2013 not surprisingly. People just want to get home after a hard day. Most people are amazingly restrained, though, given the appalling service and the huge sums of money they pay to use it. A sort of \u201cWhat do you expect? It\u2019s the North\u201d. A hellish commute, which is why I started to drive in.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Link is
https:\/\/www.conservativehome.com\/platform\/2020\/07\/grant-shapps-why-im-in-manchester-today-to-help-kick-start-better-greener-and-more-modern-transport-for-the-north.html<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[An article for the Conservativehome website by Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps, 23rd July 2020. Interesting that he uses a passenger’s experience of the delights of commuting between Marsden and Manchester as an example of why things need … Continue reading