Tories have been quiet on trains so far (bar a hint that they could back NPR and some mystery briefing around HS2) but there’s surely a good chance ‘we will replace the northern rail franchise’ and/or ‘the franchising system’ will be in the manifesto. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/northern-rail-failure-as-just-45-4-per-cent-of-trains-on-time-as-pressure-grows-on-grant-shapps-the-yorkshire-post-says-1-10102601

Shapps has already said he is curtailing the current Northern franchise - q is whether it gets renationalised or just given back to Northern. As I’ve said before, it’s hard to see the electoral advantage in the latter

It’s also questionable whether any promise will be taken seriously by northern voters after their experience over the last few years. PS *are you going to sign off the extra platforms at Piccadilly, the ones promised by Osborne that we all know are what’s needed*

Because you can replace the franchise to your heart’s content; until the capacity issue is sorted it will still not be what it should be. The tories do know this. That’s why Osborne promised it...in 2015.