CANCELLATIONS on the Northern-run Furness Line have risen once again - just as the Lakes Line begins to see trains operated by the under-fire provider back on the timetable.

After almost one month of total cancellation of trains between Windermere and Oxenholme, Northern introduced a 'shuttle service' on the Lakes Line on Monday (July 2).

This includes 12 services running throughout the day from 6.30am to 8pm, with bus replacement services covering staff breaks.

It has been alleged that the cancellations on the Furness Line have come as a result of staff being taken off services there in order to cover the Lakes Line - something northern has denied.

The early morning Manchester Airport connection from Barrow was also cancelled yesterday (Wednesday), and two trains from Barrow to Lancaster were cancelled on Monday.

Speaking at the beginning of the week, a Northern employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "They are cancelling some trains on the Furness Line so that they can run services on the Windermere line."

Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock has branded the situation a "total shambles."

He tweeted: "Robbing Peter to pay Paul by plundering Furness line drivers to run Lakes line trains is not on."

Denying this claim, a spokesman for Northern said sickness was behind the cancellations.

He said: "In the first step to towards returning to a full service on the Lakes Line, Northern has introduced a shuttle service of 12 services per day - including commuter services - operating between 6.30am and around 8pm. Rail replacement buses will cover gaps in service.

"The move was welcomed by Transport for the North, which has repeatedly impressed on Northern the need to restore a reliable rail service as soon as possible, both for Cumbrian residents and the many visitors who enjoy the Lake District.

"The service is operating well, although we have had a handful of cancellations on the Furness line due to short-term driver sickness."

Yesterday MPs from Cumbria hosted a special rail summit in parliament.

Among those in attendance were transport minister Jo Johnson, Cumbrian MPs, members of the Lakes Line Rail Users Group and Northern network executives who are responsible for overseeing what many customers regard as the most shambolic local service in living memory.

Speaking ahead of the summit, Mr Woodcock said: "Since Northern took over the franchise there has been a 500 per cent increase in cancellations and these latest statistics bring into even sharper focus the urgent need for talks to take place.

"The purpose of the summit is for frank and honest discussions about what has gone wrong and what measures the Department for Transport, Northern Rail and Network Rail will be taking to address the problems.

"If it is the case that these cancellations were caused by network managers robbing Peter to pay Paul in terms of drivers, it will only confirm the chaos going on behind the scenes and do nothing to rebuild passengers’ trust – which is what we have been told the company is striving to achieve."

Robert Talbot, chairman of the Lakes Line Rail Users Group (LLRUG) was due to attend the summit at parliament yesterday afternoon.

He said the shuttle service seemed to be going well, but there was now 'an unhealthy number 'of cancellations on the Furness line.

"We are going into this summit concerned. Full service (on the Lakes Line) is supposed to be back for the start of August, but it seems like Northern haven't managed to fix a great deal in the first four weeks of emergency timetables.

"From this meeting we hope to secure a reliable train service with no cancellations. We also want the resumption of connections with Manchester Airport - something that Chris Grayling (Transport Secretary) has promised."

Westmorland and Lonsdale Tim Farron announced he would table a motion in Parliament congratulating West Coast Railways (WCR) and everyone who helped to get the service off the ground.

WCR, of Carnforth, which usually runs heritage and charter services, stepped in during Northern's absence to provide free services between Oxenholme and Windermere.

Six daily return services were laid on to carry commuters and tourists along the picturesque 10-mile route between Oxenholme and Windermere. It was hugely popular, with vintage diesel engines carrying more than 1,700 passengers a day.

Tim said: "The survey from Transport Focus is a fantastic reflection of the brilliant service that West Coast Railways have been running.

"The service has been reliable, the staff have been first-class but more than anything else, I think people have just been happy to have trains back running on a train line.

"The bar of how a train service should operate has been well and truly raised. Over to you Northern."

However, the head of WCR has slammed Northern for "putting every possible obstacle" in their way while they tried to run the free service.

Managing director Pat Marshall, who had the idea to run the service, said: “Their behaviour was appalling. They saw us a threat and wanted us to fail.

"We have taken a lot of hassle from them. They wouldn’t talk to us and made it clear they didn’t want to work with us. Instead they kept putting obstacles in our way."

Ms Marshall claimed Northern’s station staff at Windermere refused to give passengers details about the West Coast trains, directing them to slower replacement buses instead.

She added: "They even tried to have our service suspended for a week claiming they wanted to clean up litter and clear graffiti from along the line."