TransPennine Express services to be nationalised after months of disruption

Transport Secretary Mark Harper announced the decision to bring the operator’s services under Government control.

Train services run by TransPennine Express will be nationalised after months of delays and cancellations (Danny Lawson/PA) (PA Archive)

Train services run by TransPennine Express will be nationalised after months of delays and cancellations.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper announced the decision to bring the operator’s services under Government control, but warned it is “not a silver bullet”.

Graham Sutherland, chief executive of TransPennine Express owner FirstGroup, insisted the company has “worked extremely hard to improve services”.