Lakes Line shuttle service must be up and running as soon as possible

Local MP Tim Farron has been keeping up the pressure on rail bosses following Saturday’s march in protest of the ongoing chaos on the Lakes Line.

Tim has been speaking with bosses at Network Rail and Northern, pushing them to get a shuttle service from Oxenholme to Windermere running as soon as possible.

Tim has also floated the idea of another company being brought in to run a shuttle service on the line as a short-term measure.

During the conversations, Northern suggested they would have at least a partial service up and running by July 2^nd.

Tim has pressed them to make sure that happens and that as many of those services as possible are trains rather than buses.

Tim said: “Even though the introduction of buses was intended to bring a more reliable service, I’ve had a number of constituents get in touch with me to say that their lives are still being hugely disrupted with buses regularly arriving late.

“I’m aware of open access operators who are prepared to run a shuttle service in the short-term.

“It’s disappointing that rail bosses seem to have an attitude of can’t do rather can do, but I will be raising this option with the Department for Transport.

“I’m also glad to see that Northern have finally come round to the idea of introducing a shuttle service – but it needs to be up and running as a matter of urgency.”