RAIL passengers face yet another wait for two trains an hour in mid Cheshire after Northern confirmed it would not change timetables in December.

Arriva Rail North, which operates the Northern franchise, promised to run two trains an hour on the line between Chester and Manchester from December 2017 after it was awarded the contract three years ago.

That launch date was put back to May 2018 in December 2016, before being put on hold again this year due to delays in the electrification of the Manchester to Preston line – where diesel trains will eventually be sent to mid Cheshire from.

But now Northern has confirmed it is focused on finally resolving its chaotic May timetable change – and planning ahead for the launch of new services next year.

David Brown, managing director of Northern, said: “It’s right that the timetable decision taken by the industry focuses on putting customers first and ensuring there is stability and reliability of service.

“The May 2018 timetable change didn’t go well and many customers were significantly disrupted and inconvenienced – and that can’t happen again.

“At Northern we’ve seen our services continue to stabilise with our interim timetable and we’re working hard with Network Rail to ensure service levels continue to improve.

“The number of services we operate will begin to increase from August as we review our interim timetable period. We’re truly sorry for what happened to customers.

“We remain totally focused on, and committed to, modernising the Northern network with new and refurbished trains, better stations and more services by 2020.”

Northern was forced to introduce an interim timetable after its May changes left passengers across the north facing widespread delays and cancellations.

Electrification between Manchester and Preston is currently expected to be complete at the beginning of 2019 – more than two years after Network Rail first planned to have finished the job.

Mike Amesbury, Labour MP for Weaver Vale, met with transport secretary Chris Grayling last month on the matter.

“This is another failure by Northern – a long-standing promise which keeps being delayed,” he said.

“This is how they run day-to-day railways and any infrastructure investments. It is not good enough and I will be pressing for an urgent meeting with Northern.”

Cllr Tony Dean, Conservative member for Knutsford on Cheshire East Council, believes the target for two trains an hour is next December – and he is not confident that they will arrive by then.

He said: “I am sure it will happen one day but this was supposed to happen last December, then it was put back to May, now it is December 2019 and there is nothing to stop that being put back again.

“Network Rail and Northern do need to work better together to deliver this. It is already two years late, and they need to make sure it is no more than two years late.”