So, the Lakes Line is being hit in the teeth yet again (Gazette, February 14, ‘A huge kick in the teeth’).

Network Rail give the usual excuse that fewer commuters use the railway to get to and from work at the holiday weekends. That is so in the cities and towns, where there are more voters than in Cumbria as a whole.

It ignores the real needs of the people in our area. Does this imply that Network Rail does not care about us?

The line suffered a complete shutdown for a long period last year. Surely, the current planned maintenance is not so suddenly urgent that the work could not have been done while the line was closed then.

Is the whole wretched business more to do with Network Rail’s convenience than that of the passengers here? Why did not the Secretary of State Chris Grayling step in and rectify matters? Does he not care either?

We are told that the line will have new hybrid trains – soon? That will please the Green lobby, but ordinary passengers simply was a railway service that works with trains that keep to the published timetable and arrive and depart reasonably on time.

Furthermore, the hybrid train is still under development. It might or might not work as prophesied and present yet more problems for passengers.

Arthur R Nicholls

Kendal