Sheffield trains: Expert welcomes hundreds of extra seats on trains to Manchester as "vital" to economy
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TransPennine Express will run most trains with six carriages between Cleethorpes, Doncaster, Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool from December.
The government-controlled operator is restoring a string of services across the North which were cut back due to a backlog of crew training and a driver shortage.
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TransPennine Express was taken under government control in May 2023 due to inadequate performance. At the height of the disruption half of trains were being cancelled, often at the last minute.
The upgrades comes as train operators across the UK switch to a new timetable on Sunday, December 15.
Peter Kennan, co-chair of Sheffield Chamber's South Yorkshire Transport Forum, said the increase in coaches on TransPennine Express trains, was “vital” to grow Sheffield’s economy.
He added: “Good rail connections between South Yorkshire and Manchester are really important, given the road alternative.
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Hide Ad“The latest statistics show that 441,562 passengers made the journey by train from Sheffield to Manchester and return in the 2022/23 year.
“The numbers are higher than before the pandemic and so the extra seats are really welcome. I expect the number of passengers to increase further over the years ahead, which is vital for growing the economies of both South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.
“Total rail passenger numbers at Sheffield station have grown from 3.5 million to 8.7 million in the past 25 years. Sometimes we do not look at the big picture when we hear about problems on the railway."
Chris Jackson, managing director at TransPennine Express, said: “We’re pleased to be returning to our more historic timetable, bringing back and adding new services and additional seats which will make a real difference for our customers.
“We have seen great achievements across TPE in the past 12 months in particular, with cancellations reduced by 70 per cent.”
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