Northern mayors call for TransPennine to be removed as 20,000 trains cancelled | 5 News

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Northern mayors call for TransPennine to be removed as 20,000 trains cancelled | 5 News



Whether coming or going by rail in Newcastle today, Plenty had something to say about. Rail services in the north of England. But it's no laughing matter when you're facing delays and cancellations or multiple changes. I come from Hull and it's bad enough to get a train from Hull to here. But having stopped at Leeds as well, I thought there would have been a direct train. The cross-country isn't very prompt. There's a turn-up on time, you've cancelled, you're not going to.

I'm so tired of train turmoil, the mayor of West Yorkshire in Newcastle for a transport for the North Conference. She and other Northern mayors demanding more investment for rail in the region. How was your journey here? Well, certainly from Slout where I live in Huddersfield, the train was cancelled last night. And then weirdly, reinstated overnight. But then we were stuck at Leeds because we were waiting for crew. It is not good enough that every second journey is interrupted by delays and cancellations. She says one operator in particular, Transpennine Express, will cancel more than 23,000 services this year if reliability remains at a current level.

But it isn't just delays they're raising today, it's how long some journeys in the North are taking. If you want to get from Liverpool to Newcastle a distance of about 170 miles, the quickest train will take you two hours and 50 minutes. But if you started in London, despite it being more than 100 miles further from Newcastle, the train will actually be one minute quicker. Preston to Hull, which is 120 miles, will be at least a three hour seven minute journey with two changes. But from London a distance of 200 miles, it's a direct train for two hours and 38 minutes. Or Sunderland to Warrington, which is 170 miles. It's a whopping three hours and 45 minutes with two changes.

But from London, which is 200 miles away, it's a quick one hour 44 minute direct train. Here from London, the Transport Minister who said government is committed to a 96 billion pound rail plan to transform the north of England. I empathise with those who feel that Whitehall doesn't always understand the transport needs of local communities and it was touched on the needs of rural communities, for example, to make sure we've got transport that fits our needs. So while central government must always ensure value for money for the taxpayer, I firmly believe more decisions should be made by local people in local areas and for local needs. With rail fares rising, so to our demands for a fairer transport system, because right now rail here is unreliable. Well, let's pick up live with Alan now, who is a new castle outside the station. Alan, really good to talk to you tonight.

You mentioned in your report there, there's this research about train cancellations. Is it good? Not exactly, Dan. That research from the mayor of West Yorkshire found that Transbenine Express had cancelled about a quarter of its services in the first two months of this year. Now, the mayor says this is unacceptable. She's called on the government to get a grip of the situation. Meanwhile, Transbenine Express say they're working hard to address staff shortages. Now, the sentiment that I'm hearing here is that if this was happening in the south of England, that would be uproar.

Well, meanwhile, this is all happening while strikes have been going on. Has there been any update at all when it comes to those discussions? A bit of an update, CL. National level talks have been continuing ahead of a strike day taking place on the railways next Thursday, but potentially a breakdown in those talks because the rail delivery group which represents train companies has written to the RMT union saying those talks talks may not resume unless the latest offer is put to union members in a vote. Well, Alan, I hope you get safe home tonight if you're taking the train. Okay.



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