TRANSPORT Secretary Chris Grayling MP has signalled he is set to action to tackle the chronic problems that have hit Furness customers and others across the region.

In a letter to MPs he wrote: “I am writing to you concerning the wholly unsatisfactory levels of disruption on rail services following the huge timetable changes last week.

“The industry collectively has failed the passengers it serves. A combination of delayed Network Rail infrastructure works and reduced planning time mean that the new timetable was finalised much too late to permit adequate logistical planning for the timetable changes.

"The reduced time to plan a modified timetable has made the situation much worse. A significant number of Northern’s services have had to be changed at very short notice leaving no time to resolve train scheduling issues.

“Network Rail’s system operator division is responsible for taking all planned timetables and making sure that the plans for the whole network are workable and do not create conflicts between different types of service. Because this happened so late in the process it has caused chaos for the train companies. The current industrial action has also exacerbated the process.”

Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock has invited Cumbria’s MPs, rail minister Jo Johnson MP, council leaders and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to a meeting in Westminster on June 27 to discuss the problems.

Mr Woodcock said: “Since putting out a call for evidence last week, I have been inundated with passengers sharing how they have been let down by Northern. I will make sure the government and rail bosses hear our frustration loud and clear.”