TransPennine Express is to be brought under government control due to “continuous cancellations”, it has been announced.
Following what has been several months of significant disruption and regular cancellations for rail passengers across the UK, which the Government says has resulted in “a considerable decline in confidence” for those who rely on the trains to get to work, visit family and friends, and go about their daily lives, it’s been announced today that TransPennine Express (TPE) is to be brought under Government control.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper has confirmed that he will not renew or extend the train operator’s contract at the end of this month.
This will therefore bring the company into what is known as ‘operator of last resort’ from 28 May.
We’re bringing TransPennine Express services under the Operator of Last Resort from 28th May.
Services will run as normal for passengers with no changes to tickets or timetables.
Over the past couple on months, especially from February onwards when the operating company was put on a ‘recovery plan’ and a meeting was held with local Mayors to “discuss a way forward”, the Department for Transport (DfT) has been working with TPE to improve services – but those improvements have not been sufficient, leading the Government to come to a decision that both TPE’s contract and the underlying relationships “must be reset”.
The Government says this decision has been made to achieve the performance levels that passengers deserve, as well as “what the Northern economy needs”.
In has been stressed by the Government, however, that today’s decision to take control of TPE will not “instantaneously resolve” the challenges, but as mentioned, will provide opportunity to reset relationships between the operator, staff, trade unions, and passengers.
Government to take control of TransPennine Express due to ‘continuous cancellations’ / Credit: TPE
“In my time as Transport Secretary, I have been clear that passenger experience must always come first,” Transport Secretary Mark Harper said of the decision.
“After months of commuters and Northern businesses bearing the brunt of continuous cancellations, I’ve made the decision to bring Transpennine Express into operator of last resort [but] this is not a silver bullet and will not instantaneously fix a number of challenges being faced.”
Mr Harper has also called on train drivers’ union ASLEF to “play their part” by calling off all upcoming strikes and the rest day working ban – which prevents drivers from taking on overtime shifts and filling in gaps on services.
He wants the operator to put, what he calls, the Government’s “very fair and reasonable pay offer” to a democratic vote of their members.
The rail company will be brought under ‘operator of last resort’ at the end of this month / Credit: TPE
What will ‘operator of last resort’ mean?
The Government has explained that under ‘operator of last resort’, TPE services will run as normal with no changes to tickets, timetables, or planned services.
The DfT is apparently “committed to ensuring a seamless transition” for all passengers.
It has also been stressed that the move to bring TPE into the control of the operator of last resort is only a temporary move, and it is the Government’s “full intention” that the company will eventually return to the private sector.
The Canadian hitmaker has just come off the back of three very impressive nights at one of the biggest music events of the year, Wireless Festival, and is now embarking on a tour of the UK and Europe.
Drake has solidified his position in the rap field, dropping bangers from 2006 and since then, he’s gone on to have some of the most streamed tracks of all time with ‘One Dance’ and ‘God’s Plan’.
The postponed Drake concert will take place at the Co-op Live in Manchester on Tuesday 5 August.
There’s a World Gravy Wrestling Championship near Greater Manchester
Thomas Melia
Just on the outskirts of Greater Manchester, there’s a country pub set in a rural village that hosts a world gravy wrestling championship.
Leave it to us northerners to organise a world gravy wrestling championship because let’s face it, there’s nothing more northern than plummeting yourself into bucket loads of gravy.
At The Rose ‘N’ Bowl in the village of Stacksteads, it’s not just their meals they’re drenching in the brown nectar; they drench any willing guest in this beige saucy goodness too as part of the World Gravy Wrestling Championships.
Here’s a little taster from nearly a decade ago.
Participants are expected to wrestle in the gravy for two minutes, with the winner being judged not only on their play-fighting skills but also on their choice of fancy dress, comedy effect and entertainment.
Past wrestlers have rocked up as zebras, racehorse jockeys and famous TV characters like Ali G and Mickey Mouse.
Each wrestler is encouraged to raise money on behalf of a charity of their choice, but if you don’t have one, donations will be sent to East Lancashire Hospice, which has helped people countywide suffering from life-limiting illness for the past 30 years.
The World Gravy Wrestling Championships have been held outside this very pub for over a decade, with the first ever event taking place at a car park in Wigan before it found a permanent home outside The Rose ‘N’ Bowl.
And if swimming in a pool of gravy isn’t for you, don’t fret because there’s a handful of sauce-free activities you can get involved with spread throughout the pub’s car park.
Fret not, past events have included bouncy castles, cheerleading performances, craft beer stalls, cake and tombola stands and even a BB gun shooting range that are all completely gravy-free.
There will even be help from a local fire brigade who will be on hand to wash down wrestlers in between their gravy-filled tournament, so they can wander round all the stalls too.
The 2025 World Gravy Wrestling Championships are coming to The Rose ‘N’ Bowl in Stacksteads on 25 August, with tickets available in person only, but plenty of information about the event HERE.
If you’re after signing up to be one of the wrestlers at this event, applications are still open and you can get stuck in with all the details you need HERE.
And if that wasn’t enough Northern food competitive action, we’ll catch you at the World Black Pudding Hurling Championships, innabit.
Emily Sergeant -
11th May 2023 
