LABOUR'S Warrington South MP Faisal Rashid and council leader Cllr Terry O'Neill joined party members in protesting over the 'misery' facing rail passengers across the region.

Transport secretary Chris Grayling has been accused of 'running scared' from Monday's scheduled visit to a key transport summit in Manchester after failing to attend because it clashed with a House of Commons vote on the Heathrow expansion.

The move was condemned by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who said it told commuters 'all you need to know about the Government's transport priorities'.

Labour activists made their way to Warrington Central station on Monday morning and evening to support the party's national day of action on the 'Tory rail mayhem'.

And they were joined by Mr Rashid and Cllr O'Neill.

The day of action came a week after Cllr Hans Mundry's rail-related motion was carried by the council.

The motion will see the authority support the town's two MPs 'as they pursue Northern Rail and the minister for a quick solution to the misery residents are suffering'.

It also called upon Mr Grayling to end Northern Rail's franchise and 'start the process' of returning the service back into public ownership

Labour said it believes the 'discrepancy' in the amount invested in transport infrastructure in the south east, compared to the north west, 'is deeply unfair'.

Mr Rashid added: "The Tory Government is failing to get to grips with the real transport issues affecting Warrington South residents.

"My constituents are rightly fed up with the transport problems they regularly face.

"Whether it is the let-down Warrington residents have had over tolls on the Mersey Gateway or the shambles of 'Northern Fail', this catalogue of errors simply cannot be allowed to continue.

"Only Labour will stand up for residents on these crucial transport issues and only a Labour Government will resolve the problems with our rail services by bringing them back into public ownership."

Warrington's Conservatives have been asked for a comment.