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Private Rail Companies - End of the line?

The government is stepping in to run TransPennine Express after delays and cancellations. So why is it happening, and does it signal a major shift in the way our trains are run?

Long delays and last minute cancellations. They'll feel pretty familiar to anyone who's taken a TransPennine Express train recently.

Now the government has stepped in and is taking over the franchise. It means the services operated by the company, mainly in the North of England, in effect have been renationalised.

And if you've been following the news, you'll know it's just the latest franchise to be taken out of the private sector. So why is it happening, and does it signal a major shift in the way our trains are run?

For our latest episode, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 5 Live's Money and Work Reporter Peter Ruddick answers 5 Questions On what's happened to TransPennine Express, and what it means for the future of Britain's railways.

Image credit: Danny Lawson/PA

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6 minutes