CHRIS Green has slammed the Greater Manchester Mayor’s intervention into the controversy surrounding ongoing delays, cancellations, and overcrowding plaguing Bolton’s rail services.

The Conservative MP for Bolton West has hit out at Andy Burnham’s ‘conveniently timed’ pledge to increase the pressure on transport bosses to deliver improvements.

Mr Green has claimed that the former Labour minister was silent on the issue while he was in Parliament.

He said: “It beggars belief that the man who had control of the country’s purse strings a few years ago when he was a Chief Secretary to the Treasury and who was the government aid to the Labour Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly — herself a former MP of Bolton West — is now demanding action.

“Andy Burnham has been silent on the overcrowding problems we’ve had here in Bolton whilst I have raised this multiple times in Parliament and in meetings with Ministers and rail providers. He was part of a Labour government that ignored overcrowding and overstretched services in the North West and now we have a Conservative government that is determined to reverse this decline.

“In what appears to be very convenient timing, now that we are about to finally start to see the fruits of government investment in rail services, he has now decided to start demanding action.”

Network Rail said poor ground conditions — old mine workings, running sand and varying layers of rock, as well as emergency repairs to Moses Gate Bridge — have delayed work to complete the Manchester to Preston line upgrade by at least a further six months.

The former engineer added: “Big engineering projects like the Great North Rail project and the upgrading of the Farnworth tunnel – the biggest update since Victorian times – are extremely complicated and rail engineers are already working around the clock to fix problems beyond their control.

“The people of Bolton West deserve a rail service fit for the 21st century and we are getting it – starting with new carriages and more capacity next year.”

Mr Burnham hit back at the criticism, saying: “I have been inundated with complaints from commuters on the Bolton line who have asked that I intervene to challenge the rail companies on the unacceptable levels of disruption and overcrowding. I responded to their calls and am surprised that, rather than welcoming my intervention on behalf of his constituents, Mr Green has sought to score political points.

“I’ve been clear that Governments of all colours have not done enough to invest in transport infrastructure across the North. I will work with anyone in Greater Manchester to make sure we get the investment in rail we were promised. The priority across the board should be delivering an improved and reliable service for train users.

“That’s why I hope Chris will join me in lobbying this Government to ensure we all work to tackle the chronic overcrowding and unreliability on the Bolton to Manchester line – we must ensure Ministers deliver on their promises.”