Transport Secretary tells Northern bosses that cancellation rate is unacceptable

In the audience were bosses from rail operators which are already under public control, including Northern, TransPennine Express and LNER.

Ms Alexander, who replaced Louise Haigh late last year, said: “I am a Transport Secretary whose number one priority is to fix our broken railways.”

“My message to operators and Network Rail has been clear – we must improve performance. And as Transport Secretary, I won’t stand for anything less.”

In particular, she called out the performance of Northern, which has been beset by delays and cancellations since timetable changes in 2018.

Over half-term last autumn, one in every 10 Northern trains was cancelled, while over a 12-week period one in three services on a Sunday between Sheffield and Manchester were axed.

Ms Alexander said: “I cannot give a rail speech in Manchester and not mention Northern performance.

“Cancellations at more than 10 per cent will never be acceptable under my watch.

“Passengers, businesses and communities across the region have been let down for too long.

“They deserve better and, under this Government, they’ll get better.

“So the Rail Minister and I will be holding DFTO’s feet to fire to ensure Northern’s improvement plan is delivered, and delivered quickly.”

But the Transport Secretary also pointed out some of the improvements that have been seen in rail services across the North.

“A 69 per cent fall in cancellations for TransPennine Express, alongside the highest revenue growth forecasts of all operators next year,” she said.

“On ticketing we’ve seen the rollout of digital season tickets on South Eastern and trials of simpler fares on LNER.

“A rest day working agreement with drivers has been struck by Northern … we now need to do the same for the other train crew.”

She described these green shoots as “the building blocks of reform” and added: “Great British Railways will be more than a railway. It can be a force for positive change beyond the tracks - and that change can start now.”