HEXHAM MP Joe Morris has raised the issue of delays on the Tyne Valley Line with the Transport Secretary and called for a meeting to discuss possible improvements.

Speaking in Parliament on Thursday (November 21), Mr Morris said he was “regularly contacted” by constituents concerned about “delays and cancellations” on the railway, which runs between Carlisle and Newcastle. He added that the line was “fundamental” to the constituency.

Addressing Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, he said: ”Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss delays and improvements to that line?”

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Responding to Mr Morris, the minister agreed that services were not up to scratch. She said:  “My honourable friend is right that Northern rail services on that line are very poor.
“That is exactly what we are addressing through continued negotiation on rest-day working agreements. My noble friend the Rail Minister (Peter Hendy) will be happy to meet him.”

Speaking after Parliament had finished sitting, Mr Morris said: “We should be proud to have a service like the Tyne Valley Line that connects rural communities with the city and allows visitors to see the natural and historic beauty of our constituency, but persistent delays and cancellations are holding it back.

“I frequently hear from constituents affected by these issues, with commutes that take twice as long as they should and often impact the working day.

“I look forward to meeting with the Rail Minister to discuss these issues and how we as a government can facilitate the necessary improvements to end delays and ensure this vital route serves passengers and adds value to our local economy.”

Northern has said it ran more than 90 per cent of services in the Tyne Tees and Wear areas between October 13 and November 9. Of these, 76.5 per cent arrived within three minutes of schedule.

Matt Rice, Northern’s chief operating officer, apologised for recent disruption. He said: “We are sorry for our recent performance, accept it has not been good enough and understand the impact this has on our customers.

“We are working hard to address issues with train crew availability so we can improve reliability for our customers.

“We recently secured a new rest-day working agreement for our train drivers and have offered conductors a new deal to work on Sundays. Following constructive talks, the RMT’s National Executive Committee will review our four-month offer before putting it to their members for a referendum vote.

“We realise there is more to be done to address issues with performance and are now focused on delivering our improvement plan.”