Passengers ‘left in the lurch’ over decision to axe long-distance services at Wakefield Westgate

CrossCountry has announced that some long-distance services will no longer call at Wakefield Westgate over the summer.

The operator said the move is designed to reduce overcrowding on services between Scotland and the South West of England.

Wakefield MP Simon Lightwood said the “reckless” decision had been made without consultation.

Mr Lightwood, a shadow transport minister, said: “Countless Wakefield residents will now be left in the lurch thanks to CrossCountry’s choice to withdraw these long-distance services from stopping at Westgate.

“CrossCountry claims this step is necessary to reduce overcrowding, but cutting off my constituents from vital arterial routes and forcing passengers onto other services already stretched to the limit is not the answer.”

CrossCountry said the changes are designed to encourage passengers making shorter journeys to switch to other operators, providing more capacity for those making longer journeys.

Reduced services are also planned at Chesterfield, Basingstoke and Winchester stations.

Mr Lightwood added: “If CrossCountry were serious about relieving overcrowding they’d have already taken steps to boost rolling stock capacity.

“Instead, after decades of deregulation of the railways, passengers in Wakefield have been let down yet again by an unaccountable private operator.

“This cannot go on. Labour will bring rail routes back into public ownership as contracts expire, ending the chaos and managed decline of our railways.

“Labour will establish a vital new watchdog, the Passenger Standards Authority, to scrutinise rail routes and deliver the services that passengers desperately deserve.”

A spokesperson for CrossCountry said: “The data used to decide these locations and services is based on data and journey experiences from summer 2023.

“The services that have been selected to be removed are largely services we expect to be 80% (or more) full and that have alternative journey options.”

A new timetable, being implemented as part of a 12-week trial, will be in operation from Sunday June 2 until the start of September.

Ten daily services which currently stop at Wakefield Westgate will be affected.

Coun Matthew Morley, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Highways, said: “I’m extremely disappointed to hear about CrossCountry’s plans.

"It will have a huge detrimental impact on many of our residents. This would not have happened under a Government that is genuine about wanting to level up our country.

"Our railway system is getting worse and despite this, the Government still seems more interested in the profits of private companies over what is best for passengers and our local communities.”