Transport Secretary Ditches Transpennine Express Over Shoddy Service
Transport Secretary Mark Harper has dropped a bombshell in Parliament today. The government will NOT renew Transpennine Express’s (TPE) contract, citing chronic service chaos and passenger misery. The current operator, First TPE, has been slammed for rampant cancellations and massive service gaps.
COVID, Strikes, and Driver Shortages Blamed for Train Trouble
Harper blamed the fallout on a triple whammy: the pandemic, industrial action, and a backlog in driver training. Despite a recovery plan launched back in February, disruptions have raged on. Tensions with the driver union ASLEF have only made matters worse.
The Secretary of State made it clear: “The service levels from First TPE have been unacceptable. Passengers deserve better.”
Public Sector to Step In — Government to Take Control
From May 28, 2023, First TPE’s reign ends. The government will use its Operator of Last Resort powers to hand the TPE contract over to a public sector operator. Harper says this move will “guarantee reliable train services” and reset strained relationships with trade unions and passengers alike.
Rail Reform and Tough Talks Ahead
Harper also announced a northern rail services review, working alongside northern mayors and Transport for the North to boost efficiency and improve journeys.
While welcoming the decision, he warned this isn’t a magic fix: “The problems won’t vanish overnight. We need unions, local leaders, and management to work together.”
He stressed that this move is evidence-based, pointing to success stories like Avanti West Coast, and warned against knee-jerk calls for full rail nationalisation, which could hit taxpayers hard without solving real issues.
On strikes, Harper called for fair pay offers to be voted on and condemned plans for strikes during Eurovision, urging unity in the face of Russia’s aggression.
Finally, he reaffirmed commitment to modernising Britain’s railways, highlighting the new Great British Railways HQ in Derby and single leg pricing extensions on the LNER network.
This shake-up sends a clear signal: the government means business on cleaning up rail chaos and putting passengers first.
