The Northern Franchise will be taken over by the Government, as the failing operator falls below par.

Following months of disruption, Arriva Rail North will be stripped of its franchise on the 1st March 2020

For months now, passengers in the north have not had the best rail service. A number of delays have caused chaos for passengers.

Arriva Rail North, the operator of the Northern franchise, was contracted to run services until 2025.

Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, previously said that the Northern service was ‘unacceptable’.

Northern follows Virgin Trains East Coast in becoming government-run. Virgin Trains East Coast is now operated by the Government and is now called London North Eastern Railway (LNER).

The government now aims to:

• Introduce a number of electric trains from elsewhere on the network, boosting capacity for commuters into Manchester and Leeds.
• Lengthening platforms at 30 stations by the spring, in addition to the 30 already completed, to allow longer trains to run.
• All existing trains will be deep-cleaned and the approach to cleaning reviewed to ensure passengers experience the service they deserve from the first train to the last.
• We will build on the recent agreement with ASLEF and improve the reliability of Sunday services.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

 “This is a new beginning for Northern, but it is only a beginning.

“Northern’s network is huge and complex and some of the things which are wrong are not going to be quick or easy to put right. But I am determined that Northern passengers see real and tangible improvements across the network as soon as possible.

“The railways were invented in the North. Last year the Prime Minister promised that we would give the railway back to the places it was born, giving more power over services, fares, and stations to local leaders.

“Today marks the first small step towards the North taking back control of its railways and its people taking back control of their travelling lives.

“There will be no more leaving behind. This Government is committed to levelling-up.”

The Prime Minister has also said that an announcement on HS2 will be made soon.

What do you think of this decision? Let us know in the comments below.

This is a developing story and will be updated when more information is available.

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