TRANSPORT campaigners have warned that chaos could ensue when train timetables change in May.
At a recent meeting of the Saddleworth and Lees District Partnership the Chair of the Traffic and Transport group Royce Franklin warned of problems that could occur from May 20, 2018.
From then, all trains from Greenfield will go to Manchester Piccadilly station, rather than Victoria, so cutting off direct trains to Ashton, Salford Central and Salford Crescent as well as Victoria.
There are also altered train times which has riled many commuters who fear they will struggle to get into city-centre jobs on time on the new schedule.
The changes are being introduced to allow for six express trains an hour on the TransPennine route.
Greenfield Rail Action Group (GRAG) chairman Mark Ashmore urged rail users to report any problems caused by the changes so attempts can be made as soon as possible to rectify issues.
Mr Ashmore continued: “We know there will be major problems in May but please don’t give up. Help us get the much-needed 30-minute service off peak and 20-service on peak.”
Richard Knowles, Vice Chair of GRAG and a professor of Transport at Salford and Huddersfield Universities added: “The cut in train services will create major problems for most commuters.
“For people starting work at 09.00 in Manchester the last train in will be at 07.44 instead of 08.04.
“Commuters finishing work at 17.00 will have just three or six carriage trains before 18.00 from Piccadilly at 17.17 instead of the present three trains with a total of 10 carriages from Victoria at 17.14, 17.29 and 17.37.
“Hundreds of commuters will have a long wait until after 18.00 for a train home and will have a longer working day as a result.
“Furthermore because there will be no direct trains to Victoria, Salford Central and Salford Crescent, Greenfield is losing the present service where there are direct trains every weekday to these stations.”
The new timetable will be available in stations by June 1. For timetable enquiries go online to nationalrail.co.uk or download a PDF version from May 7 from www.northernrailway.co.uk