"Decisive action" over TransPennine Express (TPE) has been called for by a group of Manchester business leaders as they voiced their "deep concern" over its "ongoing, unacceptable performance and the impact it is having on the region's economy".
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper, the 12-strong group said TPE's operations are "not even approaching an adequate service".
TransPennine Express and Avanti West Coast have faced calls for their contracts to be axed due to their performance.
TPE's contract expires at the end of May and the Department for Transport is examining the details of a recovery plan the company submitted in January after ministers deemed its performance was unacceptable.
The letter comes after the chief executive of property giant Bruntwood sent a similar one to Mr Harper in November 2022 around the impact continued cancellations of Avanti West Coast trains were having on Manchester's economy.
The new letter has been signed by:
- Chris Oglesby, chair, Manchester Business Sounding Board
- Vaughan Allen, chief executive, Manchester City Co & BID
- Pat Bartoli, director of city centre growth and infrastructure, Manchester City Council
- Sam Booth, chief executive, Pro-Manchester
- Emma Degg, chief executive, North West Business Leadership Team
- Robert Downes, development manager, Greater Manchester Federation of Small Businesses
- Lou Cordwell, chair, Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership
- John Hamilton, chair of Manchester Pub and Club Network
- Shaun Hinds, chief executive, Manchester Central
- Clive Memmott, chief executive, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
- Dave Moutrey, chair of Manchester Cultural Leaders Group
- Jane Sharrocks, chair of Manchester Business Improvement District
In the letter, the business leaders said: "As organisations which represent many thousands of businesses, from micro and SMEs to large corporates, across Greater Manchester we want to express our deep concern at the ongoing, unacceptable performance of TransPennine Express (TPE) and the impact it is having on the region’s economy.
"We know that the rail industry faces difficult challenges, many of which also face businesses across the country, but the level of severe disruption that workforces, customers and visitors continue to face on a daily basis, with thousands of services cancelled at the last minute, is causing huge damage to our economy.
"For example, between 5 February and 4 March 2023, TPE removed 1,625 services, either fully or partly, from their timetable, sometimes with only a few hours’ notice.
"A further 575 trains were cancelled on the day. So, for that 4-week period alone, 2,200 services did not run - 25% of TPE’s contracted services. Each one of those journeys might have held back a sale, stopped someone from getting to an interview or prevented delegates from attending a conference. Each month this continues is eroding confidence in the UK as a place to invest.
"This is not even approaching an adequate service. And is certainly not one our member businesses and their employees can rely on. If this was any other organisation or industry, bearing in mind how long companies and the economy have been impacted, a change in management would have already happened.
"We understand that TPE has submitted a Recovery Plan to the Department. We do not believe this goes far enough or quick enough as it suggests that businesses and their employees and visitors to Greater Manchester will face a year of disruption with cancellations continuing for that period. This is not acceptable given what we have experienced to date.
"Cancellations continue at an unacceptable level, impacting the day-to-day running of businesses of every size. Considering the imminent decision on TPE’s contract, we believe it is essential that our clear message is heard: that the service as it stands is not good enough and the proposed recovery timeline is far too slow.
"Following the timetable collapse in 2018, Government took decisive action to bring Northern under the control of the Operator of Last Resort and, while challenges remain, marked improvements have been seen. This option must be on the table for TPE.
"Given the severity of these impacts, not just on Greater Manchester but the wider economy, and the Government’s commitment to level-up the North and improve rail services, we ask that you reach a resolution that provides a reliable TPE service in the shortest possible time.
"We look forward to your positive response and that decisive action is taken with TPE’s contract."
The Manchester Evening News reported that TransPennie Express' managing director said he personally experiences the same frustrations other passengers do as he regularly commutes into Manchester from Huddersfield on the network.
Matthew Golton said of what he called TPE's 'recent delivery': "We know it's not been good enough. I have apologised for that and I will apologise again, because we have to get it right."
And Mr Golton, speaking in Manchester at a board meeting of Transport Focus, an independent watchdog for transport users, said long-suffering commuters were facing a 'doubling this year' in planned disruption due to the ongoing TransPennine Route Upgrade project.
The MEN also revealed in February that TPE cancelled almost a quarter of all its trains in a month, including more than 1,000 the night before they were due to run. The company ranked the highest of all train operating companies in terms of cancellations by some distance in figures published by the rail regulator.
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