Cleethorpes MP calls TransPennine Express an ‘absolutely appalling service’

Cleethorpes MP calls TransPennine Express an ‘absolutely appalling service’

Cleethorpes MP, Martin Vickers, has called on the Department of Transport to consider withdrawing the Cleethorpes to Manchester franchise from rail operator TransPennine Express.

Speaking in the House of Commons, he outlined what he described as “an absolutely appalling service” and that his constituents throughout northern Lincolnshire deserve better.

The service between Cleethorpes and Manchester should be hourly but in recent weeks there have been occasions when there were four hour gaps with no guarantee that alternative taxis or buses would be provided and no dedicated TPE staff to advise passengers.

The direct service between Cleethorpes, Grimsby and London was also mentioned during the debate.

LNER is planning to re-introduce the service that was withdrawn by British Rail in 1992 from next May but there is a doubt as to whether it will be possible to stop the train at Market Rasen and the town’s MP, Sir Edward Leigh, joined the debate by criticising the company for not getting the matter sorted.

Last July, LNER proposed a direct Cleethorpes to London service for May 2022 but these plans never materialised.

After the debate, Mr Vickers said that he would continue to press Trans Pennine to meet the service obligations they are contracted to provide and said that he would be meeting the Rail Minister to urge her to consider withdrawing TPEs franchise.

Back in April Mr Vickers called for a meeting with the Rail Minister over strikes and cancellations which also affected the Cleethorpes to Manchester service.

At the start of the year, TransPennine Express released a reduced timetable that they said would provide clarity for passengers but unfortunately, their service seems to have only gotten worse according to passengers’ experiences.