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Commuters braced for fewer TransPennine Express services through Lancaster from next week

There’ll be fewer TransPennine Express services through Lancaster from next week, as the company implement a reduced timetable.

The temporary timetable will have fewer connections along the West Coast Mainline.

The company says it's due to high levels of staff sickness and a backlog in training.

An amended timetable will be in place from Monday 12 September until further notice for TransPennine Express services between Manchester/Liverpool and Edinburgh/Glasgow via Preston and Carlisle.

The amended timetable can be viewed here

The company say the changes are being made to provide a more stable and reliable service following recent disruption caused by a range of issues including sustained high levels of sickness and a training backlog as a direct result of Covid.

Combined, these factors have seen a number of on-the-day or ‘evening before’ cancellations being made. Such cancellations are expected to be significantly reduced under this temporary amended timetable.

Jerry Farquharson, service planning and performance director, said: "We have put in place measures to communicate this revised timetable to any affected customers and believe that by bringing this timetable in, we will help customers have more confidence and certainty in the delivery of our services.

‘’This temporary amended timetable for our services between the North West of England and Scotland will help us provide more stability and certainty for customers travelling on this route.

“Our customers want reliable and punctual train services, and we are sorry that we have not been able to provide that due to the ongoing issues. In normal circumstances, we have enough people to fully operate our scheduled timetable, however the combination of factors has put unprecedented pressure on our ability to operate a consistent service."

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