Train Timetable Chaos: Buck Stops With Chris Grayling Says Shadow Transport Secretary

2 June 2018, 10:18 | Updated: 2 June 2018, 10:42

The shadow transport secretary says responsibility for the disruption caused by a change in train timetables lies with his government counterpart Chris Grayling.

Andy McDonald said that the UK has a "fractured and complex" rail system, and that the preparation for a new timetable has been a "complete and utter catastrophe."

The shadow transport secretary points responsilbity to his government counterpart, Chris Grayling, for the disruptions and inconveniences caused by the new timetable.

He said: "Buck stops with Chris Grayling and he can not dodge responsibility."

"There are serious issues here," the shadow secretary said.

"There have been stations right across the network that have been so grossly overcrowded because of these failures that we've been very fortunate not to have had a significant incident."

The new timetables in May has resulted in travel chaos in Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool and the Lake District with many services being cancelled.

As a result of the disruption, Northern has removed 165 trains from schedules every day until the end of July while it tries to stabilise services.