Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has expressed “serious concerns” regarding the rail operator CrossCountry, threatening potential action if improvements are not made. In a letter to the train company’s interim directors, Haigh criticized CrossCountry for its decision to temporarily reduce services. She stated that while she “reluctantly” approved the request, the reduction is necessary to address a backlog of driver training exacerbated by recent industrial action.
CrossCountry has acknowledged the shortcomings of its service and issued an apology for the disruption caused by the new timetable, which will be in effect from August 10 to November 9. The operator believes that the temporary reduction will ultimately lead to a more reliable service. The new timetable, announced in July, has been criticized by Haigh for being an inadequate response to the persistent issue of train cancellations.
In her letter, Haigh expressed frustration over the significant increase in cancellations over the past year, noting that CrossCountry’s forecasts indicated further breaches of contractual targets. She deemed the temporary timetable insufficient and emphasized that the only reason for approving it was to provide passengers with greater certainty about which services would run.
Haigh has mandated that CrossCountry implement a remedial plan to address the service issues and ensure improvement. She has also prohibited the company from profiting from operating fewer services. “If you fail to deliver the Remedial Plan, I will not hesitate to take further action,” Haigh warned.
CrossCountry has admitted that its service has fallen short of passenger expectations, citing frequent on-the-day cancellations that have led to poor reliability. The company has assured that, despite the reduced timetable, 97% of the usual daily seating capacity will be maintained. By the end of the temporary timetable, CrossCountry aims to have a fully trained driver workforce to better serve its network.
The CrossCountry network connects major cities across England and into Scotland, including Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Newcastle, and Manchester. The operator’s contract, which began in October last year, is set to expire on October 12, 2031. The Labour government has pledged to renationalize nearly all passenger rail services as private contracts expire, with the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill introduced shortly after taking office.
