ARRIVA Trains Northern (ATN) has said there will be no let-up in improvements, despite preparing to bow out of rail passenger services in the North-East.

The train operator, an arm of the Arriva transport group, of Sunderland, will give up its remaining services when a new Northern rail franchise begins in October.

The franchise, which combines rural and commuter routes on both sides of the Pennines, is expected to be provisionally awarded to either Serc/Ned Railways or First Group in the next few weeks.

ATN has already lost the Transpennine Express franchise to a consortium of First and French group Keolis.

But managing director Dyan Crowther said: "We are not just looking after things until October, we are going to continue to run an effective operation and keep on delivering improvements."

The company was last week nominated as rail operator of the year ahead of the National Transport Awards, which will be held in July.