A new Managing Director has been appointed by TransPennine Trains (TransPennine Express), with the appointment effective from Thursday, 14 September.

The new Managing Director is Chris Jackson, who has been Interim Managing Director since TransPennine Express was transferred to the Government’s public sector owning group, DfT OLR Holdings Ltd, (‘DOHL’), on 28 May.

Since then, Chris has led discussions to restore union relationships with a return of Rest Day Working, fewer cancellations, and reintroduced a full Sunday Timetable.

He is also leading an ‘operational deep dive’ into the issues that affected the performance of TransPennine Express and aims to deliver a plan to address the issues that, it is expected, will lead to an improvement in reliability and punctuality by 10 December.

Chris has 22 years of experience in the railway industry, including in the infrastructure, freight and passenger sectors. He joined the Railtrack Graduate Training Scheme in 2001, since when he has held a number of senior leadership roles including Regional Director at Northern and Non-Executive Board Member at Blackpool Transport Services Limited.

Commenting on his appointment, Chris said: “I’m absolutely delighted and deeply honoured to be appointed permanent Managing Director at TransPennine Express.

“From day one I have felt very welcomed by all. There are undoubtedly big challenges ahead, but I am committed to delivering a stable and resilient service that The North wants and deserves.

“I’ve been very open and transparent that my three immediate priorities are to get the trains running on time, reset relationships, and support the delivery of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.”

Robin Gisby, Chair of TransPennine Trains and CEO of DfT OLR Holdings Ltd said: “Chris brings a wealth of experience to TransPennine Express with a proven track record of delivering positive changes for passengers and rail partners. Chris will be at the forefront of securing stability for the long term, driving growth and supporting the delivery of a major, multi-billion-pound programme of railway improvements.

“I am confident that he is the right person to lead TransPennine Express through its transformation programme as we return it to the reliable and resilient operator that it was previously.”