Preston City Council is being urged to help ramp up the pressure on the failing Northern rail network.

Fishwick councillor Whitney Hawkins has tabled a motion setting out four action points for the city council to take.

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She writes: “Travellers and commuters using Preston Station in recent months have had to ensure totally unacceptable rail services provided by Northern Rail.

“Following weeks of disruption for travellers using the rail network across the North of England, including frequent delays, last-minute cancellations and often dangerously overcrowded condition on trains, it is time for the franchise operators Northern Rail to be held account for its dire performance.”

Read more: Northern train carriage left covered in graffiti

Councillors will be asked to support asking the interim chief executive Adrian Phillips to lobby Transport for the North, Chris Grayling MP – the secretary of state for transport and both the Preston MPs in Mark Hendrick and Ben Wallace.

Leader of the city council Matthew Brown is also urged to contact leaders of other councils across the North of England to lobby Transport for the North for a ’21st century rail services they deserve’.

Councillors meet at the next full council meeting on Thursday 28 June to discuss the motion.

Read more: Northern rail passengers told to ‘expect compensation’ for rail misery

Northern has introduced a new emergency timetable until the end of July with six per cent of its services suspended until driver training means they can operate a standard rail service again.

Blog Preston has joined northern media titles in demanding further action from the government following the disruption to commuters – with the Preston to Manchester lines particularly badly hit.

What do you think should happen regarding Northern rail? Do you use the trains to and from Preston? Let us know in the comments below