OVER the past few months I have read in the BEN articles and letters regarding the overcrowding on the peak-time trains to and from Bolton and Manchester.

Unfortunately, on Friday, November 23, I witnessed it first-hand.

I had to attend a course in Manchester and decided to leave the car at home and travel by train. What a disaster that turned out to be. My husband dropped me off at Horwich Parkway in time for the 8.17 to Manchester Piccadilly. The train arrived approximately 17 minutes late and it was standing room only, despite having five or six coaches, but the back two unable to be used.

Passengers were crammed together and the train stopped again at Lostock. A lady shouted -- "move down please", (I think it was the conductor, but couldn't see for the crush). What a joke! Apart from climbing on to the luggage racks and sitting on other passengers' knees, there was nowhere to go. The train then pulled into Bolton station and I thought anarchy was going to break out. Maybe a dozen passengers got off, but at least eight times that amount wanted to get on. The situation repeated itself at Salford Crescent and, to some extent, at Deansgate. A lady and gentleman standing either side of me said it was the same every day.

As the train approached Piccadilly Station, an announcement was made to the effect that British Rail apologised for the delay and the non-use of the last two coaches, but this was due to a fault and that the train was terminating at Piccadilly instead of going on to the airport. No apologies to the passengers wanting to go there.

I was late for the course, and then had to try and pay. The British Rail lady with the ticket machine did not know how to use it correctly, despite having a fares table. A gentleman behind me said it was £5.20 return and she said -- "OK, give me that amount", and, with another five minutes disappearing, issued me the ticket.

Going home in the evening wasn't much better. I was early for the 15.17 and, when a Southport train, stopping at Bolton, pulled into Piccadilly, I asked the conductor if it was OK to get on, despite having a return to Horwich. He said -- "yes, I'm not going round checking tickets anyway, as the train is 15 minutes late and I might get lynched." Again it was standing room only after leaving Piccadilly.

I feel so sorry for the passengers who have to travel daily. No wonder there are complaints. How British Rail can charge fares for standing room only is beyond comprehension. They should be paying the passengers for the stressful daily journey. I'm afraid that if I had to travel this way every day then I would give the job up.

Someone, somewhere needs to take the whole rail system in hand and do something about it. We are encouraged to travel by public transport, but how can you rely on it? Also the safety aspect; it is no wonder that a lot of passengers are injured or killed when there is a crash. Surely there should only be a certain amount standing.

The Government has today published a report which states that we in England have the longest and most expensive travel costs on public transport, and they go on to say that we rely more on our cars than our European counterparts. Is it any wonder?

Kath Chapman

Winslow Road

Bolton