SOUTH Lakes MP Tim Farron will today present a Bill to the House of Commons which would make it significantly easier for the Government to strip failing rail companies of their franchises.

Mr Farron has repeatedly made the case for Northern to be stripped of its franchise after a summer of chaos on the railways. The Bill comes less than a month after the Office of Rail and Road warned "no-one took charge" during the timetable chaos and blamed a lack of "responsibility and accountability".

Mr Farron said: “The Office of Rail and Road’s recent report found the main reason behind the summer of chaos on our railways was a lack of accountability. Liberal Democrats demand better. This Bill would mean that the Transport Secretary would no longer be able to shy away. It would also mean there will actually be consequences for those companies who treat their customers as nothing more than cattle.”