TransPennine Express services ‘worse’ under state-owned OLR

Operator, which covers trains across north of England and southern Scotland, cancelled more than 90 trains in a day this month

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The TransPennine Express train service has got “worse rather than better” since transferring to the state-owned operator of last resort (OLR), according to the rail minister, Huw Merriman.

The government announced last month that the service, which covers trains across the north of England and into southern Scotland, would be run by the state after the expiration of a contract with the FirstGroup-owned private operator TransPennine Express on 28 May.