Credit;PA
Grant Shapps has been criticised for mistakenly claiming there were more direct trains running between London and Manchester amid ongoing strikes.
Much of the UK has been paralysed by strikes this week, with 40,000 rail workers walking out on Thursday and Saturday – as well as London Underground strikes on Friday.
The transport secretary clashed with BBC Breakfast’s Charlie Stayt on Friday morning, when he sought to correct the presenter about how many trains were actually running.
“You incorrectly told your viewers there’s only one train running from Manchester to London,” Shapps said. “That’s not the case, even under the reduced timetable – it’s four trains an hour.”
But Stayt clarified that there’s only one direct train between the two cities at the moment.
″Well, all I can tell you is there’s still trains running down the west coast mainline – the strikes do not enhance the situation,” Shapps responded.
Shapps then asked: “When you say direct, are you saying trains that stop at no other stations? Because trains stop at Milton Keynes, for example. I’m not quite clear on your definition.”
The claim is not true for the timetable as it currently stands.
BBC Breakfast’s official Twitter account even corrected Shapps, pointing out advice from train company Avanti West Coast’s website: “We plan to run four trains an hour from London Euston.”
But only one goes to Manchester, with the other three heading to Glasgow, Liverpool and Birmingham.
The website adds: “This amended timetable will be in place until further notice, and we will continue to monitor and review the situation.”
Louise Haigh, Labour’s shadow transport secretary, tweeted her dismay at the interview, describing Shapps’ answers as “infuriating”.
She said: “The clueless transport secretary doesn’t have the first idea how bad the disruption he signed off on is.
“Passengers are paying the price for his sheer incompetence.”
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