Transpennine train services will be cut back this autumn

First Keolis said they would be running fewer trains between Manchester and Leeds for at least two weeks.

Trains from Manchester to Newcastle and Middlesbrough will terminate at York and no trains will run from Hull to Manchester Airport.

The firm said the cuts were intended to maintain levels of reliability and punctuality.

Reliable timetables

Metro, the passenger transport executive in West Yorkshire, said the changes had been introduced "in order to maintain reliability during the autumn leaf fall period".

A spokesman for First Keolis said: "Rather than run more trains that are late, we would prefer to run fewer services on time so that people can rely on the timetable.

"The trains we are running will be longer."

The changes will see three trains an hour between Leeds and Manchester Piccadilly instead of the usual four, but routes between Manchester Airport, Lancashire and Cumbria will not be affected.

Another company, Arriva Northern, has stepped in to stop some passengers being stranded.

Arriva said they will provide replacement buses for those using the Barton-upon-Humber line while First Keolis cuts services between Doncaster and Cleethorpes.

First Keolis said they intended to review the cutbacks in two weeks' time.

The First Keolis spokesman also denied allegations that the firm had too few drivers.

"We have recruited 40 drivers in recent weeks," he said, "as we knew when we took over the franchise that we would have to replace those who were retiring or moving on.

"We have plenty of drivers for these routes."