A LONG-AWAITED train service which connects Barrow to Millom has made its first journey in 40 years, to the delight of many South Cumbrian residents.

Key figures from across the community welcomed the arrival of the service with a special reception at Millom's Discovery Centre after it rolled in to the station just after 9.30am yesterday (Sun).

The momentous journey marks the launch of a new Northern timetable which will see trains running more frequently during the week and stopping at stations such as Askam, Kirkby and Ravenglass.

A later time slot for the last train from Barrow to Millom has also come into effect on Mondays to Saturdays, leaving at 10.11pm - 41 minutes later than before.

Copeland MP Trudy Harrison said she was "delighted" to welcome the first train into Millom and said she knew people would be keen to "make the most" of the service.

She said: "It will improve our connectivity with the outside world and help those visiting west Cumbria, for work or leisure, to do so by public transport in the full glory of our spectacular coastline."

Despite the enthusiasm for the new timetable, Mrs Harrison was quick to stress the need for a more reliable service from Northern.

She said: "Our celebrated UNESCO World Heritage Status needs vastly improved road, rail and digital connectivity and, while the new service represents a very large step in the right direction, there is still much to be done to provide a more reliable service.

"So many significant delays or cancellations is not the service we deserve."

This was a sentiment echoed by MP John Woodcock, who welcomed the timetable, but called services across South Cumbria "woeful".

He said: “This has the appearance of being a positive step forward, but rail passengers from Barrow and across Furness are all too familiar with the announcements of improvements that are swiftly followed by more delays and cancellations."

To tackle the issue head on, the MP for Barrow and Furness is arranging a rail summit in Westminster next month with senior local government officials in a bid to to press the Department for Transport, Northern Rail and Railtrack for a better service.

He said his constituents had "had enough of their collective failure to deliver a decent service".

"We are fed up with our representations being ignored and promises of improvement broken. It simply is not good enough," he added.

You can download the full timetable from the website at www.northernrailway.co.uk or look out for printed versions when they arrive at main stations.

*Train times*

The last Sunday train to Millom is at 7.07pm.

The first Sunday train south from Millom towards Barrow will leave at 9.40am and reach Barrow for 10.11am - the last Sunday train to Barrow leaves at 7.08pm.