First Group will continue to run the TransPennine rail network for a further year, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.

Before the franchise ends in April 2016, the operator has promised to deliver a host of improvements to make the passenger experience more pleasant.

These include providing free Wif-Fi at all stations on the route, better customer service training for staff, capacity improvements and installing new ticket barriers that will enable passengers travelling to or from Huddersfield to use the West Yorkshire smart “mcard” for their journeys.

Rail minister Claire Perry said: “We have set out how we will transform rail services across the north over the next few years, but we are determined that passengers shouldn’t have to wait to see much-needed improvements.”
The next TransPennine franchise is now open to tender. The government has already laid out the upgrades the successful bidder will need to make to the network. The main focus of these is boosting capacity and more frequent services.