The Strategic Rail Authority is being urged to step in after Arriva was reported to be cutting 80 trains a day in the North-east and replacing them with buses.

The move, said to be due to staff shortages in the region, concerns routes where Arriva is the sole operator, so passengers have no alternative than make do with the replacement buses.

Transport 2000 warned that further cancellations could follow and that there might be a risk of permanent service closures.

'It has happened before that local lines like these have been run down by an operator,' said Brian Milnes of Transport 2000 Tees Valley. 'Even a short-term bus replacement turns passengers away from the railway for good. Once the service resumes, the company then points to low demand and the
service closes permanently.'

Mick Duncan, public transport campaigner for Transport 2000, said: 'It is
vital that the Strategic Rail Authority takes urgent action to ensure that a
recovery plan is put in place with Arriva and that no permanent closures are
allowed.'

He questions why Arriva is not exploring possibilities of restricting
services on lines that they share with other companies, like Newcastle to
York, where passengers would still be able to travel by rail if Arriva
services were lost.

There is also concern in West Yorkshire over the growing number o train cancellations by Arriva.

‘Over 100 trains were cancelled on Saturday,’ said Councillor Mick Lyons, chairman of West Yorkshire PTA which funds train services.

‘Arriva is failing to give people proper notice of the service disruptions. I find this quite outrageous from a large company like Arriva. I would like to see its franchise taken away.’

The PTA is also concerned about overcrowding on the trains that do run.

The company itself blames the situation on a shortage of drivers and says operating companies poaching from them.

For further information and comment contact:
Mick Duncan, Public Transport Campaigner at Transport 2000, on 020
7613 0743 ext 114 or 07904 431959
Brian Milne, Transport 2000 Tees Valley, on 01642 611 032.