TransPennine Express ‘do not travel’ order – watchdog response

21 December 2022

TransPennine Express has issued a ‘do not travel’ alert following a ‘rostering system issue’ causing major disruption to services.

Responding to the announcement Transport Focus director, David Sidebottom, said:

“Unprecedented strikes, delays, confusion and cancellations have made life miserable in recent months for many TransPennine Express passengers.

“Long-suffering passengers have been let down and will want to see services back to normal as soon as possible and accurate information, at stations and online, now.

“Continuing poor performance has eroded their trust in the railway. To start rebuilding that trust we want to see more reliable services delivered through the timetable introduced earlier this month.”

Transport Focus has been monitoring the impact of cancellations and reduced timetables on passengers and pushing for improvements in information.

What passengers say

Um help @TPExpressTrains @LNER I’m booked on the 12.22 Manchester to Edinburgh that’s been cancelled… can’t get a later train as I’ll miss my connection to Inverness pic.twitter.com/2illdEG1Xy

— Emma Docherty (@emdocherty1) December 20, 2022

@TPExpressTrains why are so many trains cancelled today to get me home from Manchester to Lancaster thank you

— laura myers (@treblewinners99) December 20, 2022

Cancelled our match tickets for tonight! Absolutely gutted to not be able to go to the game… Was so looking forward to it but have no way of getting home and work tomorrow. Cheers @TPExpressTrains what a way to ruin people’s enjoyment! Our train service is a shambles!!!

— Jo (@YorkieRed_Jojo) December 21, 2022

Passengers can also share their experiences with us on social media, by tweeting us @transportfocus.  Or join our transport user panel, and have your say on wider transport issues as well.