MINISTERS have been accused of misleading passengers after blaming train firms for the region’s worst overcrowded trains.

Two journeys across the Pennines were put on a list of the most passenger-choked services, where huge numbers of people are forced to stand.

And Claire Perry, the rail minister, said: “Train operators must act now, they must find new ways to create space on the network and in their trains.”

But The Northern Echo has learned the trains concerned are shorter than originally hoped – because the department for transport (DfT) itself turned down pleas to lengthen them.

The Class 185 diesel trains are each formed of only three cars, after proposals for four-car trains were rejected as too expensive, at the end of the last decade.

David Sidebottom, of Passenger Focus, said: “There were plans to add an additional carriage to each train.

“However, the credit crunch in 2008 contributed to higher costs to build and buy the much needed carriages, which saw an end to any possible deal.”

And TransPennine Express – the firm which operates the two journeys concerned – described Ms Perry’s comments as “strange”.

Spokesman Matthew Hay said: “We originally asked for 60 Class 185s, but were told we could only have 51.

“Then we asked for four carriages on each unit, but we were told we couldn’t have that either – so each has three carriages. Every carriage we have is in use.

“There were some strange comments from Claire Perry, given that it is the Government that authorises and purchases infrastructure.”

The two journeys are:

* The 6.30am from Manchester Airport to Middlesbrough – which is 66 per cent over capacity

* The 6.30am Scarborough to Manchester Airport – which is 56 per cent over capacity.

Mr Hay added that the controversy was “history”, because an extra 40 carriages had now been bought, at a cost of £60m, putting a fifth train each hour on both services.

He said: “The figures released date from last autumn. They will look very different this year.”

After revealing the most overcrowded routes, Ms Perry said it was up to train companies to tackle “the frustration of rail passengers forced to stand on busy services”.

The ten-strong list was released just days after The Northern Echo joined forces with business leaders, council chiefs and MPs to urge the Government to end decades of underinvestment in rail in the region.

The Right Lines campaign calls on ministers to ensure the new Northern Rail and TransPennine operators deliver improvements including more trains.