THE company operating TransPennine rail services is promising faster trains and more seats when its new weekday timetable begins on Monday.

TransPennine Express was recently forced to make temporary cuts to services due to problems with train reliability.

But the company says its new timetable is a major step forward in revitalising services on the route.

Vernon Barker, managing director of TransPennine Express, said: "This new timetable represents our first opportunity to make improvements to the speed, frequency and capacity of our services since starting the franchise in February.

"Passengers can look forward to greater reliability, regular departures and longer trains."

TransPennine Express said there would be consistent services every hour , which would be easier to understand and dependable.

It said trains from Scarborough will now go to Manchester and Liverpool, rather than concluding journeys earlier, while trains from Newcastle will always end at Manchester Airport.

Middlesbrough now also has a consistent service to Manchester Airport, without the need to change at York.

There would also be a train every half-hour from York to Manchester Airport and three trains an hour will run from York to Manchester Piccadilly, rather than the previous two.

Services between Newcastle and Manchester would also run to an hourly pattern.

Copies of the timetable are available at stations and online at www.firstgroup.com/tpexpress