TransPennine Apologises Over Scarborough Train Depot Noise

TransPennine Express has apologised to people living near its depot in Scarborough after complaints about “unbearable” noise experienced by residents. Residents living close to Transpennine Express’ (TPE) depot in Scarborough have complained about “throbbing, thundering, and reverberating” noise emanating from the site, leading to an apology from the company. In an email to Matthew Galton the train operator’s managing director, one resident living in the vicinity of the depot, said:

“It is telling that I can hear every change in tone of the engine noise…. it penetrates the whole house. “I believe that your company has no moral right to subject us to this noise nuisance.” Concerns have particularly been raised about the use of TPE’s Nova 3 engines which have been the subject of previous complaints.

Cllr Rich Maw, who represents the Weaponness and Ramshill division in Scarborough, said: “[TPE’s] use of the Nova 3 engines continues to make conditions unbearable for residents. “The ground-shaking rumble of these huge engines at full idle is still causing huge distress to those unfortunate to live near the recently built and poorly sited depot off Seamer Road.”

A spokesperson for TransPennine Express said: “Customers are at the heart of what we do and we apologise for any discomfort that our trains cause for those who live nearby the railway. “Scarborough depot remains an important facility for us, which provides jobs for local people.

“We have worked with the local council and introduced some operational changes to reduce the level of noise experienced by residents living close to the depot.” Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the spokesperson added: “Our services between York and Scarborough provide a valuable connection for local communities and in recent years, we’ve invested GBP500m in bringing in new, modern trains, such as our Nova 3s, which operate on this route and have enabled us to provide much-needed extra capacity for customers.”

However, it is not the first time that complaints have been made about TransPennine Express’ GBP7m depot behind Seamer Road, which opened in 2019 to provide maintenance, including refuelling, to the train company’s fleet. In 2020 the company said it was taking complaints about noisy trains “very seriously” after members of the public said the noise was making their lives a “misery”. Cllr Rich Maw said:

“I think we can all acknowledge the grief that Trans Pennine has caused commuters and residents alike. “I find myself in agreement with our MP who has recently commented publicly that he believes that the service should be re-nationalised.” He added:

“The company has done very little to work with residents and commuters who have often been ignored when complaining of the delivery of service and the disruption the depot has caused and is still causing.” Last week the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, Sir Robert Goodwill, said he was against the renewal of TransPennine’s rail contract and that he is in favour of the service being renationalised owing to the company’s “atrocious” record of cancellations. Sir Robert said:

“Every time I go to York Station on Monday morning to go to London, there are at least two cancellations towards Scarborough which they say is down to short notice changes in the timetable, which I don’t believe for a minute.”

The company, which has been found to have the highest rate of train cancellations in the country, is due to have its contract renewed in May.

However, the secretary of state for transport, Mark Harper, has said that “no option is off the table”.