Network  Rail and the Department of Transport should be scrutinised as part of a review into the current train chaos, say Hertfordshire County Council.

Since rail operators GTR introduced the new ‘Rail Plan 20/20’ timetable in May, passengers have routinely complained of delays, cancelled trains, lack of seats – and even trains failing to stop at the right stations.

And that means rail users have regularly been late for work and late home – often too late to put children to bed – and, on occasion, have been stranded.

Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling has already announced an inquiry into the causes of the ongoing rail chaos that has followed the timetable changes.

But Hertfordshire County Council will now push the Government to make sure that this independent review is not limited to the role of rail operators GTR.

And they will call for it to scrutinise the role played by both Network Rail and the Department of Transport.

In a motion – backed by a meeting of full council on Tuesday – councillors welcomed the resignation of GTR chief executive Charles Horton in light of GTR’s “appalling performance”.

They said it was “clear that Network Rail and the Department of Transport are also responsible for the failures which have so greatly impacted the lives of many Hertfordshire residents.”

And they urged the Government to ensure the forthcoming independent review takes full account of decisions taken within the Department of Transport since the inception of this franchise in 2014.

Cllr Derrick Ashley, executive member for growth infrastructure, planning and the economy, said: “I have a real concern that this independent inquiry will be far from independent, which is why I have put forward this resolution here.

“The new timetable has been a disaster and GTR, as we have all said, bear some of the blame for it. But this is not a new problem.

“The real issue is the way the department is being run. What’s important is that the independent inquiry drills down into the way the department is run.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Jarvis had earlier asked councillors to back calls for Chris Grayling and Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne to resign.

But Cllr Ashley said: “I don’t think calling for more resignations is going to solve it.”

During the debate, councillors highlighted the degree of chaos caused following the implementation of the new timetable and the problems that it had caused.

They said some commuters had not seen their children from one weekend to the next – because they couldn’t get home in time.

Others had had to consider leaving their jobs because they couldn’t count on starting their shifts on time.

Labour councillor Sharon Taylor said the “absolute disaster” was so significant that the Secretary of State should resign.

And she pointed to some drivers who didn’t even know where their trains were scheduled to stop.

“This is the responsibility of the Secretary of State,” she said. “And apart from tinkering with the timetable, he has done nothing. I do hold him responsible – and he should resign.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Chris White highlighted commuters who bought tickets on a daily basis, who would not be eligible for compensation for the “phenomenal mess” on the railways.

And Cllr Paul Zukowskyj, a Liberal Democrat, said that with so many more houses planned in the authority in the coming years it was important that rail services could cope.