MP Jonathan Reynolds has welcomed the addition of a new rail service for Manchester-bound commuters, after conducting a survey that highlighted over-crowding of current services.

Mr Reynolds highlighted the concerns about over-crowding to bosses at First TransPennine Express earlier this year, after conducting his own survey of passengers at Stalybridge Railway Station.

This week the train operating company announced that they would introduce a new 07.28 service from Stalybridge to Manchester Piccadilly.

And – in a further attempt to ease overcrowding – the company is putting additional carriages on the 07.50 service from the town to Manchester Oxford Road.

On Friday Mr Reynolds joined First TransPennine Express managing director Nick Donovan at the station to mark the addition of the new service, which will begin on December 14.

“This is great news for the residents of Stalybridge, providing greater travel options in the busiest part of the day,” said Stalybridge and Hyde MP Mr Reynolds.

“I have worked with First TransPennine Express to further improve the timetable and am delighted that they will be providing more seats and more services.”

In addition to the improvements to morning services First TransPennine Express are doubling the number of carriages on the 17.07 service from Manchester Oxford Road to Stalybridge, from three to six.

The increase in services follows a package of improvements in the station facilities over recent years.

Commenting on the improvements, First TransPennine Express managing director Nick Donovan said: ““I am delighted that we have been able to provide a solution for Stalybridge that sees more services and more seats when customers need them most.

“Customer feedback has enabled these improvements which along with the 50,000 extra seats a week across the Pennines, introduced in May 2014, means that Stalybridge now has a wonderful new station and excellent rail connections to the major cities of the north.”

STALYBRIDGE and Hyde MP Jonathan Reynolds has welcomed the decision to fund transport improvements around Longdendale

 The stretch of the A57 - which runs between Hollingworth and the end of the M67 in Mottram - is one of the busiest roads in the country. It is frequently grid-locked and heavy traffic causes significant levels of noise, dust and disruption. Residents were first promised a bypass more than 30 years ago, but in 2010 - following the collapse of a public inquiry - the plans were shelved.

 Since then local MP Jonathan Reynolds, working with neighbouring High Peak MP Andrew Bingham and local councillors for Longdendale, has continued to push for the transport problems in the area to be recognised at the highest level.

 Today (Monday 1 December) the Government is expected to announce £170million to address the problem directly.

Mr Reynolds said: "This will be welcome news for people living in Mottram and Hollingworth and the surrounding areas. They have put up with unacceptable levels of road congestion and pollution for far too long.

 "The road that links the two villages was never designed or intended to take the high levels of cross-regional traffic that run through it every day. The queues through Longdendale are notorious.  The daily gridlock could not be allowed to continue and it has been clear to me for some time that a bypass would be an essential part of the solution.

 "I have been committed to making sure that the case for a new road was made at the highest level.  I am delighted that the funding promised by the Department for Transport will now make this possible.

When we began this process in 2010, we were told there was no chance whatsoever of achieving funding for a major scheme. But I promised local residents when I was elected I would fight hard on their behalf - and I have."

Mr Reynolds - who was formerly a councillor for Longdendale - has been pushing for a solution to the traffic problems in the area since his election to Parliament in 2010. He has worked with neighbouring High Peak MP Andrew Bingham and organisations across the Transpennine corridor in a bid to ensure the situation could be properly assessed.  During this process a wide range of options have been considered, from an HGV ban on the Woodhead Pass to a tunnel under the Pennines.

 A full announcement is expected to be made to the House of Commons today, after which work will begin to determine a specific route for a new road. 

 Mr Reynolds is committed to ensuring residents are kept up to date with the developments as they occur.

MORE than 100 volunteers at Homestart have ‘befriended’ families across Tameside to help make the daily struggle a little easier.

The team of specially-trained volunteers offer flexible and practical support to children and their families who are referred by health or social work professionals – or simply ask for help themselves.

Typically support might involve help to become more organised or to access services, playing with the children or helping parents to attend appointments.

And at their AGM, MP Jonathan Reynolds joined staff and volunteers to help them celebrate their ongoing success.

Stalybridge and Hyde MP Mr Reynolds said: “Homestart is a remarkable organisation that gives real and practical support to help families with young children.

“While most of us, most of the time can rely on the support of friends and family when we go through tough times, Homestart is there when that’s not possible.

“The families think of the volunteers as new friends – and the volunteers get a great deal of satisfaction from the experience too.

“I was delighted to be invited to the Homestart AGM and to hear about their ongoing successes.”

Over the past 12 months 117 volunteers at the Audenshaw-based charity – which covers the Oldham, Stockport and Tameside areas - have worked with 180 families.

And in addition, this year, they have launched a project designed to encourage women to breastfeed.

After the formalities of the AGM staff, volunteers and guests celebrated the successes of the year – with volunteers being recognised for volunteering for 50,100 or 150 hours during the year.

Nationally the network of Homestart UK organisations has 16,000 family support volunteers who help 32,000 families every year.

Homestart – which began in Leicester – now operates in 22 countries in five continents.

For more information about Homestart go to www.homestartto.org or call 0161 344 0669.