Northern rail: Driver 'embarrassed' to work for troubled firm

A train driver employed by troubled rail operator Northern has said he is "embarrassed" to work for such a "dire" and "deteriorating" service.

The driver, who does not wish to be identified, said the "crowd control" of angry passengers was now a routine part of his job.

He said: "The quality of the railways we are involved in running is poor and it is demoralising."

Northern said it was "working hard" to improve standards.

Passengers have endured a series of chaotic periods since the firm introduced new timetables in May 2018.

Earlier in January the government warned it could lose its franchise over the "unacceptable" delays and cancellations.

The driver told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Things have definitely deteriorated. It's really demoralising to work for such a shoddy outfit.

"We wear scruffy, tatty uniforms that, you know, we have to practically beg to get replacements for when they're worn out.

"And we come to work on a railway that the company doesn't care for."

He added: "I think the region deserves better. Anybody who's been a passenger down south and up north can tell you the glaring differences."

The driver said crammed carriages were not just a problem for passengers but for staff also, who can struggle to manage the backlog of commuters.

"We get people knocking on the window complaining to us. We feel like we have to help the guards in managing crowd control," he said.

Responding to the driver's comments, a spokesman for Northern said the operator was "delivering the biggest transformation of local rail for a generation" as part of a £600m investment.

He said the firm now operated 2,000 more weekly services than at the start of its franchise.