Bolton West MP demands answers Julie Hilling MP has demanded answers from train operators Northern Rail and First Trans Pennine Express. The Bolton West MP wrote to both operators over concerns raised by constituents following increased over crowding that has left some commuters on the platforms of several stations across the borough. Ms. Hilling, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Rail in the North, has pressed the Government to include more and better rolling stock to ease over crowding on the trains to Manchester and to do more about the ever increasing rail fares, particularly the introduction of an evening peak fare. This has included holding meetings with the Transport Secretary Patrick McLaughlin, with Northern Rail and Trans Pennine Express and working with Bolton's other two Labour MPs to deliver a petition to Downing Street last year. Only last year the Prime Minister David Cameron promised commuters they would have extra carriages by December. It now appears that the extra carriages promised will not arrive onto the corridor until February and although they will ease the situation they will not solve the problem of overcrowding. During the festive season it appears that many people in Bolton West faced increased problems when trying to use the railway network, especially in December. As a result trains were leaving people on the platforms of several stations across the constituency. Ms. Hilling said, "Northern Rail explained that because of the additional challenges such as the Christmas Markets in Manchester, they did provide additional carriages over the weekend period and learnt lessons from 2013. However they have acknowledged that they 'need more capacity during the week to help prevent overcrowded conditions'. They are hopeful that a solution to this would be releasing diesel trains from the soon to be electrified Manchester to Liverpool line, onto the Bolton corridor. I do welcome this news but this will not occur in until February and not December as the Prime Minister promised, potentially making people late for work or forcing them to catch another train. The franchise is heavily subsidised by the tax payer and new trains would need funding from the Department for Transport. It is important to note that improved rolling stock will feature in the new franchise, but only from 2016. I will continue to press both the train operators and the Government on this issue in Parliament.”