TransPennine Express tells passengers to expect more cancellations over the weekend

The new state-run operator said a shortage of train drivers is causing issues across the network and there “isn’t a quick fix”.

First Group lost the contract to run services last month, after it became the worst operator in the country for cancellations.

The Government’s operator of last resort has set up a new company, TransPennine Trains, to take charge and deliver improvements but it cancelled around a third of scheduled services on Thursday and almost a fifth of trains today.

Chris Jackson, Interim Managing Director for TransPennine Trains, said: “I'm working quickly to understand some of the issues we have inherited so that we can stabilise the business, reduce cancellations and restore services.

“There isn't a quick fix, but we will deliver the service TransPennine Express customers expect and deserve as soon as we can."

It comes as tens of thousands of music fans are planning to travel to the Parklife Festival in Manchester this weekend.

Earlier this week, Mr Jackson said the operator needs to deal with a driver training backlog – of around 5,000 outstanding training days – to improve reliability, because only half the drivers are currently able to operate all the trains and routes in their roster.

He also said there would be a “significant and immediate” improvement if drivers agreed to work overtime again, so they can help train new recruits and clear the backlog, but also cover for absent colleagues.

Train drivers’ union Aslef accepted a new rest-day working agreement in April – allowing drivers to work overtime for the first time since December 2021 and earn 175 per cent of their normal rate.

But hours after accepting the deal, the union imposed another overtime ban, claiming members had backed industrial action due to a dispute over working conditions.

Last week, Aslef staged two separate strikes which affected 15 operators, as part of a dispute over pay and new contracts, which would make Sundays part of a standard working week.

TransPennine Trains currently employs 509 drivers and offers a starting salary of £58,000.

It comes as the former operator, First Group, is set to bank a taxpayer-funded performance bonus, expected to be millions of pounds, despite losing its contract due to poor performance.

First Group Chief Executive Graham Sutherland has refused to say how much it will receive, but fees are paid six to 12 months in arrears and independently assessed by the Department for Transport.