“It’s utter chaos” - why are UK trains running so badly in the north?

The mayors said the 'absolute bare minimum' of levelling up was being able to get to work and college on time but the rail chaos meant that millions of northerners couldn't even guarantee that.

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[davidmcculloch]

When the Tories make a promise, expect the exact opposite: levelling up...

[johndewhurst]

It is time British rail was renationalised . Railways should be run as a public transport service, not a gravy train for the franchises and shareholders.

[carlosifer]

Like everything else under the tories is crumbling
NHS, schools, police, prison system, transport etc 😑

[PhillCurtis]

Trains in the UK are a joke. The companies that have the franchises are taking our profits and doing a bad job running the show. And find every opportunity to blame others

Europe has much better trains. And don't get me started about the PRICE!!!

[eboyjim]

Is anything working in the UK anymore? It seems like the entire system is collapsing.

[ghosthdel]

Privatisation, that is why! My friend's dad he is quite high level in Avanti UK ... he doesnt get the train that he works for. He use his Porsche 4x4 to work. He doesnt even know what colour is train's company mobile app because he doesnt use them. Hahahah!

[arghjayem]

Train quality in the North seems about as good as the sound quality on this video.

[solotraveller]

Just came back from Spain where their train service is flawless. Bought on the spot ticket to the countryside, with a journey time of two hours and it only costs me €11.

[davidagnew]

I used to live in the North of England and I was dependant on Northern Rail to get to work - it was the worst train service I have ever experienced, it made Irish Rail (which is far from adequate) look like a Japanese bullet train service. Outdated and musty trains which routinely didn't show up and on the rare occasion when they did, they were late, severely overcrowded and chugged along slower than a horse and cart. I have nothing but horrific memories of Northern Rail and feel for the poor commuters still dependent on their abysmal service to get to work.

[-Eckhart]

I didn't hear a single concrete proposal as to how this deadlock is to be resolved. "It's a complex issue" is for me another way of saying "we haven't got a clue". UK railways is a gaggle of many different agents all passing the buck to someone else. That includes the minister in charge, who runs away from awkward questions.

[RankinMsP]

Sunak always has 'someone looking into' things yet nothing concrete ever happens.
Great job if you can get it.

[emmetmcanulty-powell]

It's fantastic to see so much support in the comments for working class people 👏

[jebusgod]

living in the north of england at the moment is like the hunger games, you can't go outside of your district on a train for fear of never getting back! They just cancel trains whenever they want. You literally can't risk going from Liverpool to Manchester, for fear of being stranded and stuck paying £100 for a train

[lincslegend]

The country is broken. Transport failing, education system failing, nhs failing, cost of living crisis and on and on it goes. The country is working for the 1% but failing the rest.

[marknugent]

Our train system is the worst never on time or cancelled I have been travelling Europe since October Europe has it spot on and cheaper never cancelled and on time no matter how much money is put into the railways it would still be a complete shambles!!!

[wumpty]

“It’s utter chaos” - why are UK trains running so badly in the north?

Tory

[michaellawrence]

Well done Mick Lynch, sticking 4 the workers.And showing how the tories are taking the workers for granted.

[VictorCharlesEvans]

The United Kingdom should have the best railway system in the world!!!
We gave the railway to everyone!!!
Tory meddling and Fat Cat privatisation, the wholesale milking of the system, means we have the worst railway system in the world!!!
And hardworking people pay a fortune to stand every day in old, dirty, overcrowded trains!!!!
Thank the tories for this utter chaos!!!

[mhtbfecsq]

Good to see levelling ups working as we expected.

[Paulypies]

The distain Mark Harper oozes when asked a handful of questions speaks volumes to how many F’s he could give about transport. Especially outside of London.