A PUBLIC meeting is being held to debate overcrowding and shorter trains on Blackburn, Darwen and Clitheroe’s rail line.

Two-carriage services and standing room only will be among the topics up for discussion as passengers and councillors assemble at All Souls Church in Astley Street, Bolton, from 7.30pm.

Bolton Rail Users Group (BRUG) hosts next Thursday’s gathering and has invited rail users from the Ribble Valley and Blackburn with Darwen.

Jeff Davies, BRUG chairman, said: “We are asking as many of the users of our services as possible to come along and demonstrate their commitment to the services and their urgent plea for a better future.”

Customer service managers from the Northern franchise, operated since last April by Arriva, will be on hand to field questions.

The telegraph's sister paper, The Bolton News, through local MP Sir David Crausby, presented a petition to Parliament on train overcrowding

Upgrades have been carried out a number of smaller Ribble Valley stations since the takeover - but these have been led by Community Rail Lancashire.

Major outstanding issues for East Lancashire include a masterplan for Blackburn station and ticketing assistance at Darwen.