Further travel chaos is expected on the trains today as more than 40 services have been axed or amended by TransPennine Express.
The train operator confirmed that a total of 26 services would be fully axed today (December 7). A further 15 services will be amended, with further short-notice cancellations and amendments to services likely throughout the day.
Services have been cancelled today between Liverpool and Newcastle, Manchester and Hull, Manchester Airport and York, Huddersfield and Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester, and Manchester and Cleethorpes.
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Services have been amended between Scarborough and Liverpool/Manchester, Manchester Airport and York, Manchester and Cleethorpes, Manchester and Redcar, Manchester and Glasgow and Manchester and Edinburgh.
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.
A spokesperson for the operator 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."
The Guardian reports that the latest round of last-minute cancellations and changes won't count in the service operator's official performance data.
Today's cancellations and amendments
Liverpool – Newcastle
0710 York – Newcastle
0754 Liverpool – Newcastle
1142 Newcastle – Liverpool
1543 Newcastle – Liverpool
1954 Liverpool – Newcastle
2201 Newcastle – York
Manchester – Hull
505 Hull – Manchester Piccadilly
0604 Hull -Manchester Piccadilly
0728 Manchester Piccadilly – Hull
1235 Manchester Piccadilly – Hull
1630 Manchester Piccadilly – Hull
Manchester Airport – York
0138 York – Manchester Airport
0316 Manchester Piccadilly – York
Huddersfield – Leeds
1949 Huddersfield – Leeds
2047 Leeds – Huddersfield
2151 Huddersfield – Leeds
2247 Leeds – Huddersfield
Huddersfield – Manchester
1759 Manchester Piccadilly – Huddersfield
1853 Huddersfield – Manchester Piccadilly
1858 Manchester Piccadilly – Huddersfield
2335 Manchester Piccadilly – Huddersfield
Manchester – Cleethorpes
0325 Sheffield – Manchester Airport
0521 Sheffield – Cleethorpes1224
Cleethorpes - Manchester Piccadilly
1524 Cleethorpes – Manchester Piccadilly
1818 Manchester Piccadilly – Cleethorpes
2220 Manchester Piccadilly – Doncaster
In addition, the following services will be amended
Scarborough - Liverpool / Manchester
0419 Manchester Airport – Scarborough - Starts York
2245 Scarborough – Manchester Piccadilly - Terminates York
Manchester Airport – York
0038 Manchester Airport – York - Terminates Manchester Piccadilly
Manchester – Cleethorpes
0556 Manchester Airport – Cleethorpes - Starts Manchester Piccadilly
0536 Doncaster – Manchester Piccadilly - Starts Sheffield
1518 Manchester Piccadilly – Cleethorpes - Starts Sheffield
1924 Cleethorpes – Manchester Piccadilly - Terminate Sheffield
Manchester – Redcar
1440 Manchester Airport – Redcar - Terminates York
1807 Redcar – Manchester Airport - Starts Huddersfield
Manchester – Glasgow
0457 Manchester Piccadilly – Glasgow - Starts Preston
0452 Glasgow – Manchester Airport - Terminates Lancaster
0910 Manchester Airport – Glasgow - Starts Lancaster
Edinburgh – Manchester
0704 Preston – Edinburgh - Starts Preston
0810 Manchester Airport – Edinburgh - Terminates Carlisle
1212 Edinburgh – Manchester Airport - Starts Carlisle
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