Granada Cumbria

The region's Metro Mayors are urging rail staff to reconsider strike action on Northern Rail services amid ongoing misery for commuters.

Today sees the second walkout this week in an ongoing dispute over driver-only trains. A further day of action is planned for Saturday, with union members say removing guards from trains is a safety issue.

Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham want safety concerns to be resolved but say the recent timetable crisis means commuters are suffering enough.

Campaigners hope that train services will be able to resume on the suspended Lakes Line in Cumbria today.

Northern Rail temporarily closed the line, which runs to and from Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme and Windermere. It is running a replacement bus service until July 2nd.

However local MP and former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron says a trial run of a temporary service by West Coast Railways was a success over the weekend, and "the ball is firmly in the Department for Transport's court" about whether a shuttle service from Oxenholme to Windermere could start from today.

Cumbria County Council have previously said that trains should start to run by Northern Rail on the Lakes Line again by early July.

The service was suspended for four weeks - prompting protests from residents.

READ MORE:

• Northern Rail: reinstating the Lakes Line could cause further network wide delays and cancellations
• Fury as Lakes Line suspended for four weeks