Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Huddersfield, Harpreet Uppal, is asking residents from across Huddersfield to tell her their stories about the impact of rail delays and cancellations. 

Data released this week showed that, as of July 31 2023, Huddersfield had more than 5,500 scheduled trains cancelled – the highest rate in the country at 13%.

This is the first part of a campaign that Ms Uppal has planned over the autumn, which will be used to highlight the pressures faced by Huddersfield residents and demand Government action.

Ms Uppal said: “These figures are appalling and the Government needs to take responsibility to fix the mess our trains are in. Passengers can’t keep facing these delays and the uncertainty. Many people no longer feel they can rely on the trains whether it’s for work, education or visiting family and friends.

“That’s why I am launching a ‘call for evidence’ from Huddersfield residents to hear directly from them about the impact of delays and cancellations.

“I’m asking local people to tell me their stories so I can give real life examples to the Government to show the impact the broken rail system is having on our community.”

TransPennine Express, which runs services in Huddersfield, was brought under Government control in May after months of complaints about delays and cancellations. Prior to being taken over, it had the highest cancellation rate of all train operators, according to data from the Office of Rail and Road.

Huddersfield residents are asked to email Ms Uppal on harpreet@harpreet4huddersfield.com with their experiences of train travel to and from Huddersfield. Residents are asked to reply by October 8.

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