At least 47 TransPennine Express train services have either been fully cancelled or amended today.
The train operator confirmed last night that a total of 29 services would be fully axed today (December 9). A further 18 will be amended, with further short-notice cancellations and amendments to services likely throughout the day.
Services have been cancelled today between Manchester Airport and York, Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport, Manchester Airport and Redcar, Manchester Piccadilly and Huddersfield and Leeds and Huddersfield. Services between Manchester Piccadilly and Hull and Manchester and Cleethorpes are the worst hit, with at least 19 of these services fully cancelled.
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The full list of cancelled or amended trains can be found here. TransPennine Express said that 'short notice timetable amendments' are being made due to 'a range of issues' including staff sickness, Covid and infrastructure issues.
The operator has also warned of more cancellations and timetable changes over the weekend as bi-annual timetable changes are introduced. Customers have been urged to check before they travel.
A spokesperson for TransPennine Express said: "Prior to December 2021 TransPennine Express (TPE) had posted its best ever performance results, and was subsequently recognised as “Train Operator of the Year” at the Rail Business Awards.
"Since then, prolonged disruption affecting our services has been caused by a range of issues including ongoing high levels of train crew sickness, a persisting training backlog as a direct result of Covid, and infrastructure issues outside of TPE’s control. Combined, these factors have seen a number of on-the-day or ‘evening before’ cancellations being made.
"In normal circumstances, we have enough people to fully operate our scheduled timetable – and have more drivers now than ever before – however the combination of factors has put unprecedented pressure on our ability to effectively operate our services.
"Our customers want, and deserve, reliable and punctual train services, and we are sorry have not been able to consistently provide that due to the ongoing issues. TPE’s team continues to work flat-out to deliver higher levels of service delivery and to tackle the issues that are being experienced by customers."
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