A huge success and a joy’ – Lakes Line heritage service gets glowing review from passengers

Local MP Tim Farron has welcomed a passenger survey from the independent transport user watchdog, Transport Focus, which describes the interim rail service provided by West Coast Railways on the Lakes Line as “a huge success”.

Transport Focus, alongside Transport for the North, conducted informal interviews with passengers at all stations on the line.

The survey found that the rail service has been hugely popular and people think that the coach companies providing the rail replacement services are doing a good job.

Earlier this month, after much negotiating with government ministers and rail bosses, Tim helped get the interim service up and running with help from local rail user groups.

Tim will table a motion in Parliament next week congratulating West Coast Railways and everyone who helped to get the service off the ground.

Tim said: “The survey from Transport Focus is a fantastic reflection of the brilliant service that West Coast Railways have been running.

“The service has been reliable, the staff have been first-class but more than anything else, I think people have just been happy to have trains back running on a train line.

“I’m also glad that it highlights the good work done by staff on the rail replacement buses who in many cases have been drafted in at the last moment to help people get to their destination.

“Over the past two weeks we’ve shown that when we come together as a community we can take on industry bosses and Government ministers and achieve great things.

“The bar of how a train service should operate has been well and truly raised. Over to you Northern..”