TRAINS operated by Northern are set to return to the blighted Lakes Line on Monday, the operator has confirmed.

Their reinstatement comes following a month of complete closure of the line during which, until a recent interim service was put on by Carnforth-based West Coast Railways, was without trains round the clock.

But pressure on Northern remains as a petition with 5,000 signatures calling for them to be stripped of the franchise was handed into 10 Downing Street yesterday (Wednesday).

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Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron, a vocal critic of Northern, handed in the petition and was accompanied on his trip by Robert Talbot, chairman of the Lakes Line Rail Users Group, who has campaigned against the closure since it was first announced.

Mr Farron said: “I’m massively grateful to everyone who has signed up to the campaign.

“Train services on the Furness and Lakes Lines have been massively affected by Northern’s incompetence.

“Local residents know that when Transpennine operated services along the line they were much more reliable.

“We need to sack Northern and replace them with an operator that cares about our local train services.”

Transport for the North have been applying pressure on Northern, who have now agreed to introduce a shuttle service of 12 trains per day.

This will include commuter services and will run between Oxenholme and Windermere between 6.30am and 8pm.

Replacement buses will still operate in the gaps left in the timetable.

John Cridland, chairman of Transport for the North, said: “This is a step in the right direction.

“The Lakes Line is a vital connection for one of our most popular tourist areas and we tentatively welcome the move to restore rail services on this line.

“We see this as a vital first step in restoring reliable timetabled services as soon as possible.

“We also welcome Northern’s announcement that it will be helping with a marketing and publicity campaign that makes it clear that the Lake District is open for business.

“But there’s still work to be done to reassure the people of Cumbria. It’s not just a matter of getting trains running again.

“We know from direct feedback that passengers have experienced delays and cancellations on this line long before the introduction of a new timetable. What we don’t want to see is a return to an unreliable service.

“The Lake District is a jewel in the North’s crown and attracts visitors from around the world.

“It needs a stable rail service that people can depend on.”

Cllr Keith Little, Cumbria County Council’s representative on the Transport for the North board, said: “I am delighted that we now have a temporary rail based solution in place from Oxenholme to Windermere, as well as a longer-term plan for improvements to the whole Northern service.

“This follows extensive lobbying and the unswerving support of everyone who has been affected by the disruption on this line.

“What we have made clear throughout all of this is that Cumbria won’t just sit back and take this kind of disruption and that we will do all that we can to protect the interests of our residents and businesses alike.

“We have also been very clear with Northern that we are expecting the final introduction of the new timetable to result in a better service than we have had over the last 12 months.”

The West Coast Railway services will now be stopping.