TransPennine Express reveals service improvements under public control

Rail operator, TransPennine Express, which runs services from Stockport to Liverpool, Manchester Airport and Sheffield, has revealed how service levels have improved since coming under public control.

TransPennine Express was transferred to the Department for Transport’s Operator of Last Resort in May 2023 following consistent poor service and repeated calls for action local leaders across the North of England. In the two years since, the operator has seen cancellations fall by 75%, increased customer journeys by 42%, and grown revenue by 54%.

In the last financial year alone, the operator also calculates it has generated £1.4 billion in economic value, delivering more than £8 in return for every £1 of public subsidy.

Chris Jackson, Managing Director of TPE, said:

“Public ownership gave us the space and stability to reset. Our focus has been on people, our passengers, our colleagues, and the communities we serve. Two years on, we’re proud to be delivering a better, more reliable railway for the North.”

When the franchise was removed from its private operator, only 5% of stakeholders were satisfied with TPE’s performance. A severe shortage of trained drivers, chronic service disruption, and a breakdown in trust had left the network under strain. Today, as TPE operates under public ownership, stakeholder satisfaction has soared to 94%, more than 20,000 days of driver training have been delivered, and 63 new drivers have been recruited to strengthen operational resilience.

The turnaround followed the launched of TPE’s improvement plan, Making Journeys Better, launched in October 2023, which prioritised stabilising operations, re-engaging staff and passengers, and transforming the network for long-term success. 

The operator also introduced a new company vision and values shaped by colleagues, relaunched its engagement survey, and held its first ever Week of Inclusion.