ELLESMERE PORT and Neston MP Justin Madders has blasted Merseyrail after morning commuters were disrupted for the second week in a row.

Wintry weather last week meant no trains ran on the Ellesmere Port line last Wednesday (January 23) due to icy conditions preventing electricity reaching the train.

To compound the problem, there were no replacement bus services that morning and passengers were advised by Merseyrail to find alternative travel arrangements.

This morning (Wednesday, January 30), there were further delays after a train broke down and the line between Hooton and Ellesmere Port was again shut for more than an hour as replacement bus services were called for.

Although all lines on the Merseyrail network are now running again, subject to 15-minute delays owing to poor conditions, Mr Madders was left fuming at the situation.

He wrote on social media: "This is pathetic Merseyrail, you couldn’t cope with ice last week but have learnt nothing from that. My constituents are fed up with always being the ones to suffer the disruption.

"If you don’t want to run the line to the same standard as the others then let someone else do it."

Passengers who have been disrupted on the Merseyrail line this morning may be entitled to a refund or compensation. For details, visit www.merseyrail.org/tickets-passes/refunds.aspx.