THE rail provider responsible for widespread disruption on East Lancashire travel networks last summer will not be fined for their actions, an investigation has decided.

Passengers across the county experienced weeks of cancellations and delays from May of last year after a timetable change caused huge problems for Northern Rail.

But an investigation by the Office of Rail and Roads (ORR) has now decided that the firm will not be fined for the disruption caused, finding that ‘reasonable steps’ were taken by staff to rectify issues. They added no further action will be taken against them.

Govia Thameslink Railway, which experienced similar issues, was fined £5million.

Councillor Phil Riley, a member of Transport for the North’s board, said: “It will be no consolation to the passengers whose journeys were disrupted on a monumental scale to hear that Northern Rail have been exonerated.”