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We measure performance through CP6 metrics, which includes Time to 3 minutes, Time to 15 minutes and cancellations. Time to 3 and Time to 15 are measured at every station our services call. Analysing performance through CP6 metrics allows for a clearer representation of punctuality along the whole route rather than just at the destination.
A key focus for TPE is our Time to 3 measurements, ensuring our trains are no more than two minutes and 59 seconds late at any station on each journey. Cancellations aren't included in Time to 3 and Time to 15, so it's important also to report the percentage of trains cancelled to capture the reliability of the service through the cancellation percentage.
During the initial periods, from April through to mid-June, we experienced sustained challenges resulting from the unavailability of drivers on their rest days. This led to a substantial number of pre-planned cancellations and ongoing disruptions due to the absence of available drivers. Although the situation showed signs of improvement in periods 1 and 2, period 3 (April-June) witnessed a resurgence in disruptions. This resurgence can be attributed partly to the peak summer leave period and some transitional disruptions as we shifted to DOHL.
In period 4 (June – July), we reached an agreement on rest day working, resulting in significantly improved performance during its implementation.
The expansion of our services placed added pressure on our fleets, which had not been previously tested by running a full timetable. This strain particularly affected the availability of class 397 units, which are deployed on the Anglo-Scottish route between Manchester Airport and Liverpool Lime Street to Glasgow and Edinburgh, leading to additional cancellations on this route. We also witnessed a noticeable rise in delays and cancellations of class 185 operated services, especially on the South route from Liverpool to Cleethorpes. This route encountered specific challenges, including toilet faults and servicing difficulties.
Network Rail asset failures emerged as a significant factor during periods when we operated a full service. These failures included signalling issues, points malfunctions, and track circuit problems, many of which occurred in the busiest sections of our route, consequently impacting TPE services significantly. Some of these incidents were linked to ongoing works for TRU (Transpennine Route Upgrade) projects. We continue to collaborate with Network Rail to determine the root causes of these incidents and explore preventive measures, as well as improving our real-time response strategies in managing subsequent disruptions.
Management of the disruption following large incidents is especially important now that the full timetable is in operation. We are actively monitoring and seeking opportunities with rail industry partners for improvement in this field.
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