New figures have revealed that TransPennine Express’ official train cancellation figures masked the true position, with an additional 1,360 trains ‘pre-cancelled’ (of which 312 were part-cancelled) during the four-week period to February 11 (period 11), owing to train crew shortages. These cancellations were not previously reported in official figures.
It follows a letter from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to operators on January 19, telling them to provide data on ‘pre-cancellations’ - known as ‘P-coding’ (RAIL 976).
These are trains that are cancelled the day before, so do not show as ‘cancelled’ on station displays and real-time feeds. Instead, the trains are simply not shown.
Because P-coded trains are excluded from the industry’s delay attribution process, it also means they do not appear in official cancellation statistics.
In the case of the worst offenders, it means that FirstGroup-owned TransPennine Express cancelled 23.7% of its trains, compared with the 8.9% it originally reported (excluding P-coded). Arriva-owned Grand Central cancelled 15.8%, compared with its originally reported 5.9%.
To read the full story, see RAIL 978
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Steffan - 24/02/2023 13:44
I wonder what the greens will make of this? Continual calls for better public transport are all well and good, but the best, most up to date network and rolling stock is useless without train crews! No wonder peole are still commuting by car