The boss of train company, TransPennine Express has apologised after months of short notice cancellations and delays.

The operator runs services across the north of England and Scotland including through Cumbria.

In an interview with the BBC, TransPennine Express managing director, Matthew Golton said that the current level of service wasn’t ‘good enough’ but added that the company had a ‘recovery plan’ to help improve levels of service.

“I apologise,” said Mr Golton. “We know that this business is really important to the North of England and Scotland.

“We know that we've got to do a good job and we really care about when we let people down."

TransPennine Express cancelled over 40 per cent of trains last week and were amongst the worst performing train operating countries in the country for cancellations in 2022.

The company have said that they have been affected by sickness, a backlog of train drivers in training due to the Covid pandemic and a previous overreliance on driver overtime.

A deal with the train driver’s union ASLEF ran out in 2021 and a new agreement has not yet been reached meaning drivers can not work extra shifts.

Key figures in the Labour Party have called for the company to be stripped of the rail franchise and for the government to take over the running of services through the ‘operator of last resort’ which currently runs LNER on the east coast mainline.

Labour’s shadow transport minister, Louise Haigh said the service had ‘never been worse’ in the House of Commons before calling on the government to strip the franchise of its contract when it finishes in May and former MP and current Labour mayor for West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said: “Enough is enough - the time for excuses has passed.  We have lost trust in TransPennine Express ability to improve.

“Their contract must not be renewed by the Government in May, otherwise we'll have several more years of misery for passengers across the North.”

A decision on whether the government will extend the contract of TransPennine Express is expected in the coming months.

 

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