The transport secretary has been branded a ‘fantasist’ by Manchester council bosses - after he blamed them for delays in rail infrastructure.

The row erupted after Chris Grayling, as a guest on BBC Breakfast, was asked about criticisms Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham had levelled at the government over delays to work to boost track capacity in Manchester.

However, Mr Grayling, who has strongly denied any responsibility for the Northern Rail timetable crisis, was defiant in his response - insisting it was actually Manchester City Council standing in the way of progress.

He said: “Well I’m afraid what Andy Burnham is saying is simply not true.

“I have not cancelled any track upgrades in Manchester.

“Indeed the interesting challenge is that the proposal to expand the route between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Oxford Road, which is going through a Transport and Works Act Order process at the moment, is being opposed by Manchester council.

“What we are actually doing is we are looking at how we can put more capacity into Manchester using digital technology to increase capacity.

“Across the North and across the Manchester area we are replacing every single train with either a brand new train or a train completely refurbished as new with longer trains and more capacity.

Sue Murphy, Manchester council’s deputy leader, responded in no uncertain terms.

She said: “For Chris Grayling to suggest that Manchester council is opposed to much-needed improvements in rail capacity for Manchester is complete fantasy.”

She said the council had been a strong supporter of improvements to Piccadilly and Oxford Road stations and increased track capacity to enable more services to run through them, adding: “Indeed, we gave evidence in support of the scheme to a public enquiry about it and have been consistently vocal in our call for better rail infrastructure.

“Our track record in supporting improvements stands in stark contrast to that of Mr Grayling and his predecessors who have the power to deliver improvements, including the promised Northern Powerhouse rail, but have so far not demonstrated any will to do so.”

The M.E.N. asked the Department for Transport exactly which element of expansion Mr Grayling was referring when he accused the council of opposing the order, but they declined to comment.

So, here’s a look at the delayed projects he might have been referring to:

- Two new platforms at Piccadilly, promised by former Chancellor George Osborne under the £1bn Northern Hub plan.

They were originally meant to be open by the end of December this year.

Experts have said the expansion is vital to cope with extra trains on the Ordsall Chord, the £85m track connecting Piccadilly, Victoria and Oxford Road.

The necessary ‘Transport and Work Act Order’ - the official sign-off document for the project - is still lying on the desk of secretary of state Mr Grayling, after he suggested it may be possible to provide the extra capacity at Piccadilly ‘digitally’ - which is what he refers to in the interview above.

- Another source of contention between Manchester leaders and the Government, but a longer term project, is the HS2 Piccadilly transformation.

While the town hall wants to make the new station highly visible, better connecting it to the centre and east of the city via a new boulevard, with a brand new plaza and an underground through-station for east-west links, HS2 have been accused of designing a ‘functional station’ without the same ambition.

- Oxford Road station was supposed to be upgraded too - again to be completed by the end of the year.

Plans would see platforms expanded over Whitworth Street and the listed station’s ageing interior upgraded, with promotional images showing new footbridges, lighting and a shopping arcade lining links to nearby First Street. Network Rail has blamed overrunning on the Ordsall Chord project - now complete - for delays to the scheme, which is now at least 18 months behind schedule.

Like Piccadilly, however, the sign-off is still sitting with Mr Grayling, meaning there is no guarantee it will ever happen at all.

But the Department for Transport declined to comment on which, if any, of these projects Mr Grayling was referring to.