A train operator will begin operating a reduced timetable next month to help manage backlog of critical driver training days missed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
CrossCountry said that prolonged industrial action across the rail industry has meant it has not been possible to deal with the backlog of training days required by train drivers accumulated during the Covid-19 pandemic - when social distancing restricted training taking place.
Now, the operator will introduce temporary reductions to its timetable from Saturday, August 10 until Saturday, November 9, to address performance and reliability issues that have inconvenienced passengers with on-the-day cancellations.
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Reducing services on some routes over a 13-week period - while bolstering services with extra carriages wherever possible - will retain maximum passenger capacity on the CrossCountry network while working through as much of the necessary driver training as possible, CrossCountry say. The temporary timetable will reduce numbers of on-the-day cancellations, which cause the most inconvenience to passengers. A similar approach was trialled over Easter which led to a 94% decrease in on-the-day cancellations.
By the end of the temporary timetable, CrossCountry will have more fully-trained drivers able to work across the network and will have reduced its training backlog – providing a more reliable service for customers, with fewer cancellations.
There are no service alterations on the core CrossCountry route between Birmingham and Newcastle via Leeds. However, some services that operate via Doncaster will not run.
No CrossCountry services will operate beyond Edinburgh to Aberdeen or Glasgow while the timetable is in operation. Meanwhile, a trial which saw some station calls removed at Wakefield Westgate and Chesterfield will end as planned in September.
Ben Simkin, CrossCountry's regional director for the North East and Scotland, said: "Removing services from our timetable is always a last resort. I'm sorry for the inconvenience this will cause for our customers and I want to thank them for their patience while these changes are in place. This is a difficult decision, but by taking proactive action now we are investing in building a more resilient and dependable service for CrossCountry customers for the future."
Customers who have tickets for travel on impacted services can travel on an alternative service or request a full refund. Further information can be found here.
Passengers are advised to check their journey before travelling using the CrossCountry website or app or with National Rail Enquiries.
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