Calls to nationalise TransPennine Express after 123 services cancelled or disrupted in one morning
Ministers must nationalise TransPennine Express following “one of the worst days yet” for passengers, according to Labour.
Shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh said more than 120 TransPennine Express services were cancelled or disrupted this morning (Thursday), adding the Government “cannot pretend” the management is “blameless in this farce”.
She urged the Government to strip the company of its contract and bring it under the Operator of Last Resort.
The in-house body currently manages other services, including London North Eastern Railway.
After trains to York were cancelled last night, Ms Haigh tweeted: “The distance Manchester-York is similar to London-Cambridge.
“It should be routine for people to go out after work, or travel for an evening out and have a good service back.
“Years of Conservative failure has left crumbling infrastructure and failing operators holding our economy back.”
Speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Haigh said: “The minister must surely agree this simply isn’t good enough. In November he assured us the new timetable would be deliverable. This week the results are in and the service has never been worse.
“This morning alone at least 123 services have been cancelled or disrupted on TransPennine Express and he cannot pretend that the management are blameless in this farce.
“The North cannot afford to continue like this any longer. So will he strip TransPennine Express of their contract and bring it under the Operator of Last Resort?”
Transport minister Huw Merriman said “decisions will be made” if TransPennine Express services cannot be improved although he said the Operator of Last Resort needs a “manageable” portfolio.