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