Rail union chief Bob Crow has added to the welter of criticism over the state of rail services in the North.

Mr Crow, who is general secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport workers union, said a Commons Transport Select Committee report which slammed the region's network was a "damning indictment" of the privatised railway.

The report, out on Thursday, said the Strategic Rail Authority was failing to consult properly with passenger transport executives and local councils, while passengers themselves were also being left in the dark over timetable changes.

The structure of the rail network was too complex and fragmented and infrastructure projects were often abandoned and demoted with little or no justification.

Mr Crow said: "It exposes appalling levels of service and shows that people on both sides of the Pennines are bearing the brunt of timetable cuts.

"Attempts to improve services have resulted in overcrowding and timetable confusion.

"The Government has also said it wants to see fewer rail operators but then splits the Trans-Pennine route creating a new Northern franchise -- it makes no sense."

Mr Crow added: "Fragmentation of the rail network has been a disaster, and the sooner the government signals an end to it the better."