Train services run by TransPennine Express have been brought under Government control.

Here the PA news agency answers 10 key questions about what went wrong and what the change means.

– What was TransPennine Express?

A train operator running intercity services across northern England and into Scotland.

– How bad was its performance?

Cancellations and delays have been widespread for several months.

The equivalent of one in seven trains were axed in the four weeks to April 29.

– What caused this?

A series of issues including drivers no longer volunteering to work paid overtime shifts and higher than usual staff sickness levels.

– What has the Government done about this?

The Department for Transport has taken control of TransPennine Express services under its Operator of Last Resort system, making it nationalised.

– Will services improve?

Transport Secretary Mark Harper warned the decision is “not a silver bullet” and urged drivers’ union Aslef to call off strikes and end the ban on rest day working.

– What has changed?

Services are now run under the brand TransPennine Trains.

– Will passengers notice any other immediate differences?

No. The trains, timetables and staff are unchanged.

– Are tickets still be valid?

Yes. The announcement does not affect ticket validity or prices.

– What is the Operator of Last Resort?

A Government company that runs passenger services after contracts with private operators end and there is no immediate replacement.

– What services were already run this way?

London North Eastern Railway, Northern and Southeastern.