A NEW railway timetable is torture for one furious man as he tries to get home.

For the trains only allow him access to his house for 15 minutes every hour.

Jonathan Moss has to use a level crossing to get to Chapel Lane in Parbold, Wigan, so when a train is coming, the gates are closed until it is safe to drive across.

This has not been too much of a problem over the past 18 years. But a new timetable for the Wigan to Parbold train has stopped him in his tracks.

Now he's threatening to take action - and to even stop a train.

Mr Moss said: "Over the years, they have scheduled more and more trains.

"Now, with the new timetable, we won't be able to get to and from our house in a car for up to 45 minutes every hour - and that's if they run on time.

'Ridiculous'

"The signalman rings up Parbold to see if they can accept the train. From that moment, they can't open the crossing to let us drive through.

"The trouble is, they schedule trains one after another and the gates could be closed for up to 45 minutes, which is just ridiculous."

Mr Moss said he was prepared to take action to try to stop the Wigan to Southport service, which runs through the crossing at Parbold.

"If I don't get a suitable response, I will take direct action and bring the line to a halt," he said. "I will get arrested and prosecuted but it is about trying to highlight a problem.

"They could put an automated rail crossing there but they won't spend the money."

Mr Moss has enlisted the help of West Lancs MP Rosie Cooper, who said: "It is outrageous that local residents face being cut off for such long periods and I am angry that Network Rail did not sort this out before the new timetable came into force.

"If residents are being inconvenienced any more than they are currently, then Network Rail needs to find a solution.

"I shall continue to monitor the situation and am pressing for a satisfactory conclusion."

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "It is early days.We want to give it a few days and see how things pan out.

"If it is as bad as suggested, we will see what we can do to make things better."