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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Neil Lancefield

What went wrong with TransPennine Express and what happens next?

PA Wire

Train services run by TransPennine Express have been brought under Government control.

Here the PA news agency answers 10 key questions about what went wrong and what the change means.

– What was TransPennine Express?

A train operator running intercity services across northern England and into Scotland.

– How bad was its performance?

Cancellations and delays have been widespread for several months.

The equivalent of one in seven trains were axed in the four weeks to April 29.

– What caused this?

A series of issues including drivers no longer volunteering to work paid overtime shifts and higher than usual staff sickness levels.

– What has the Government done about this?

The Department for Transport has taken control of TransPennine Express services under its Operator of Last Resort system, making it nationalised.

– Will services improve?

Transport Secretary Mark Harper warned the decision is “not a silver bullet” and urged drivers’ union Aslef to call off strikes and end the ban on rest day working.

– What has changed?

Services are now run under the brand TransPennine Trains.

– Will passengers notice any other immediate differences?

No. The trains, timetables and staff are unchanged.

– Are tickets still be valid?

Yes. The announcement does not affect ticket validity or prices.

– What is the Operator of Last Resort?

A Government company that runs passenger services after contracts with private operators end and there is no immediate replacement.

– What services were already run this way?

London North Eastern Railway, Northern and Southeastern.

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