Train services run by TransPennine Express will be brought under Government control later this month.
Here the PA news agency answers 10 key questions about what happened and what comes next.
– What is TransPennine Express?
A train operator running intercity services across northern England and into Scotland.
– How bad has its performance been?
Cancellations and delays have been widespread for several months.
The equivalent of nearly one in four trains were axed in the four weeks to March 4.
– What has 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 been announced?
The Department for Transport said control of TransPennine Express services will come under its Operator of Last Resort from May 28, making them nationalised.
– What has been the reaction?
West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin said it was “absolutely right”.
– 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.
– Will tickets still be valid?
Yes. The announcement does not affect ticket validity or prices.
– Will passengers notice the change?
Not immediately. The Operator of Last Resort will use the same trains and employ the same staff.
It remains to be seen if performance alters.
– 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 are already run this way?
London North Eastern Railway, Northern and Southeastern.
