A report out this morning claims that the disruption caused by the early summer rail problems in the North has cost the region nearly £38m.
The report, Devolving our Railway,learning the lessons of a summer of Northern Rail chaos by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership looked at the consequences of the six week period from the middle of May where over a six-week period, up to 6,000 trains were seriously delayed or cancelled.
In two weeks at the end of May at the height of the crisis, where half of trains in some regions were seriously delayed or cancelled, the disruption to commuters was far more than £1 million a day.
The report added that TransPennine Express did not provide data, meaning the total loss to the northern economy is likely to be far greater.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has written to the Prime Minister accusing the Transport Secretary Chris Grayling of falling asleep at the wheel after he had promised to make the chaos across the network his top priority.
The Northern Powerhouse Partnership is calling for more powers to be devolved to regional body Transport for the North.
Northern Powerhouse Partnership chair and former Chancellor Mr Osborne said: “This report sets out a clear message to government – the Northern Powerhouse is crying out for more devolution. “This is the very role we envisaged Transport for the North doing when we set them up; Northern leaders will support them in making sure the people of the Northern Powerhouse get the modern, connected network they deserve.”
Northern Powerhouse Partnership director Henri Murison, who co-wrote the report, said: “The bottom line is that this must never happen again.”
