THE OPERATOR of train services that travel through Saddleworth has had its licence stripped following customer complaints and cancellations.
Services run by TransPennine Express (TPE) will now be run by an “Operator of Last Resort” – a business that will step in on behalf of the Government to take over.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “After months of commuters and northern businesses bearing the brunt of continuous cancellations, I’ve made the decision to bring TransPennine Express into Operator of Last Resort.”
The news will be music to the ears of Saddleworth’s MP, Debbie Abrahams, who signed a Parliamentary motion demanding the government take over TPE because of its ‘poor performance.’
Greenfield station is under its control and sees its trains call on the way to destinations including Manchester, Newcastle, Scarborough, Huddersfield and Leeds.
The company’s contract finishes on May 28 but tit will not be renewed after Mr Harper hinted to parliament’s transport committee that “no option is off the table.”
Figures from the Office of Rail and Roads show it cancelled about one in five of its services between March and April.
Passengers endured another period of chaos, with TPE planning 600 fewer trains, cancelling or part-cancelling more than 500 and planned cancellation of almost 600 more.
And Ms Abrahams said: “My constituents regularly tell me that TransPennine Express always lets them down, either through late services or cancellations.
“Enough is enough.
“That’s why I’ve supported this motion in Parliament calling on the government to step in and take over the contract. It’s the only way we will get a train service we can all rely on.”
FirstGroup, which owns TransPennine Express, said it was “disappointed” by the Government’s decision to not renew the contract it has run in various guises since 2004.
Graham Sutherland, FirstGroup’s chief executive, said: “Our team have worked extremely hard to improve services, including by recruiting and training more drivers than ever before.
“This decision does not alter our belief in the important role of private rail operators in the delivery of vital, environmentally-friendly transport for customers and communities across the UK.”
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