In response to today’s (11 May) decision by the Secretary of State for Transport to bring TransPennine Express into government control under the auspices of the Operator of Last Resort:
Lord McLoughlin, Chair of Transport for the North, said: “We welcome the decision announced today by the Secretary of State to bring the contract under Operator of Last Resort (OLR) for TransPennine Express.”
“The Transport for the North Board’s position on this issue has been clear for some considerable time, that services need to significantly improve. While we have seen some improvements over recent months, to achieve the performance levels passengers expect and deserve, and that the northern economy needs, there is a need for a resetting of the operation.
“We will now look forward positively to discussing with our members and working with the government to ensure the best way to achieve a service that meets the expectations of those living and working in the north.”