A Winsford commuter is criticising the town’s train services as “absolutely rubbish” in comparison to other towns’ train services on the same line.
Karen Baxter, 48, is a civil servant who commutes around three days a week on the line from Birmingham New Street to Liverpool Lime Street.
Ms Baxter said there is an hourly service from Winsford, Hartford and Acton Bridge train stations in comparison to a half hourly service from the majority of the other train stations on the same line. The half hourly service continues through Winsford, Hartford and Acton Bridge train stations without stopping.
To make matters worse the cost of an anytime return on her commute, from Winsford to Liverpool, is around 40 per cent more expensive than the cost of an anytime return on a comparable commute, from Penkridge to Birmingham, although there is no more than a few minutes’ difference in the travel time.
(Image: Trainline) Ms Baxter said: “I think for a town the size of Winsford our transport links are absolutely rubbish. We have an hourly service when we could have a half hourly service which for a town half an hour away from the city is absolutely shocking.
“The train leaves at 40 minutes past the hour and if it is cancelled they stop the next one which leaves at 10 minutes past the hour. They stop the next one and you think well why can’t it stop all the time if it can stop when there is a problem?”
A London Northwestern Railway spokesperson said the discrepancy in timetabling is due to the disruption to express services while the discrepancy in ticket price is due to the difference between unregulated routes such as Winsford to Liverpool and regulated routes such as Penkridge to Birmingham.
Ms Baxter was in touch with Andrew Cooper, the MP for Mid Cheshire, who in turn was in touch with Simon Lightwood, the Minister for Local Transport, about the second of these issues with Mr Lightwood responding the Department for Transport is reviewing a system which is “overcomplicated”.
(Image: Trainline) A London Northwestern Railway spokesperson said: “Unfortunately as the majority of the railway passing through Winsford, Acton Bridge and Hartford has only two tracks it is not possible to call more than one train per hour at these stations without disrupting express services.
“We are committed to making rail travel as affordable as possible and offer a range of railcards and discounted ticket types which can reduce the cost for passengers, with information available on our website.”
This article is by Jack Tooth. He is available at jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk.