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17.09.2023 - 08:03 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
'State-of-the-art', 'futuristic' and 'ultramodern'. That's how the new fleet of TransPennine Express (TPE) trains were described when they finally started to hit the railways of the North of England four years ago following much fanfare.
But after false starts, delays in training drivers and, more recently, reports of cracks in carriages, TransPennine is now taking the 13 troublesome trains off the tracks. The Nova 3 fleet is set to be taken out of service from December in a 'temporary' move with customers said to be 'at the heart of' the decision.
The train operator, which has been state-run since May, said removing this fleet - one of the four types of train it uses - would simplify the business. It comes after TPE's new boss blamed disruption on driver training backlogs.
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Interim managing director Chris Jackson told Northern leaders in June that just half of TPE's drivers could use all types of train and that it would take 5,000 training days to address this. The comments came as one in three TPE trains across the country were being cancelled – partly because of industrial action.
Since then, cancellations have dropped dramatically and 63 pc of drivers have now been trained on all routes. But a backlog of 3,500 training days remains.
TPE has said removing the Nova 3 fleet, which is its most 'training-intensive', will 'significantly reduce the number of outstanding driver training days'. But some informed rail industry sources say the move will also help cut costs.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has said that cost-saving measures are needed across the railways, but denies that these trains are being taken out of
Carla Bruni is opening up about her experience with cancer.
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