NEWSPAPERS serving the North today issue an unprecedented joint message that Transport Secretary Chris Grayling should take accountability for the rail chaos across the region by resigning, and the Prime Minister should take a personal grip of resolving the crisis.

We are speaking out collectively on behalf of our readers and the 15 million people living in the North of England. Hundreds of thousands of passengers have faced chaos on the North’s rail network since the introduction of new timetables a fortnight ago.

Not only has the chaos disrupted the working lives of people across the North, it has made a mockery of Government claims to be prioritising infrastructure in the cities of the north as part of the government’s much publicised Northern Powerhouse initiative.

As well as appointing a new Transport Secretary to grip the crisis, newspapers across the North today call for: a PM-led emergency summit in Downing Street this week to resolve the crisis. Clarity from Northern Rail over the compensation scheme it has promised passengers.Proper devolution of policy and financial powers to Transport for the North. A review of rail franchising throughout the UK.

Earlier this year, Transport for the North published its 30-year transport upgrade plan for the whole region, with ministers hailing the plan as “revolutionary”. The events of the past few weeks have ruined the credibility of the Government.

We are telling the Government and Theresa May to get a grip on this crisis.