The main train service from west Cumbria to Carlisle has been reinstated after angry commuters and MPs called for a U-turn.

Last week three of the county’s MPs wrote to Northern, as the company looked to implement the changes from September 14.

These would have seen the 7.35am service from Whitehaven, arriving at Carlisle at 8.32am, being cancelled.

This would have meant that passengers travelling for work or education for a 9am start, would either be faced with waiting around for around an hour and a half or be 25 minutes late.

Mark Jenkinson, MP for Workington, iCopeland’s MP Trudy Harrison and John Stevenson, Carlisle MP wrote to Northern to put pressure on the firm to make a U-turn.

And yesterday Mr Jenkinson announced the company had listened to their plea.

Mr Jenkinson said: "A number of my constituents rely on the 7:42 service from Workington to be at work, school, or college in Carlisle for 9am.

"The proposed cancellation of this service would have had huge impacts on the lives of a number of my constituents, both financially and educationally.

"I am very pleased that having raised this with Government and Northern Rail the Cumbrian MPs whose constituencies this decision would have affected have been able to overturn it and secure the continuation of livelihoods and education for a number of our constituents.

"In a large county as sparsely populated as Cumbria, public transport needs to be convenient and reliable.

"I will continue to campaign for better infrastructure throughout Cumbria to support our economy, including securing upgrades to the Cumbrian Coastal Line’

Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern, said last week that the change was due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. He said: "The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on many parts of society and this includes the railway. We have done all we can to continue to provide the best possible service for customers across the network with our new timetables, but We are still welcoming back members of staff who have been shielding and the knock-on effects of the virus will be felt for many months. As we have worked towards reintroducing services and re-instating our driving training programme, we have had to make some very tough decisions about which services we can, and cannot, reliably operate."