The decision to strip failing train operator Northern Rail of its franchise will be welcomed by many who have suffered from years of delays and cancellations - but what will it actually mean for commuters?
The government finally lost patience with the under-fire franchise on Wednesday, and it will be brought under public control from March 1.
The news has been cautiously welcomed by many, who say improvements must now be seen in services, reliability and quality.
On March 1 2020, the operation of all Northern services will transfer from Arriva Rail North to Northern Trains Limited -
The news will bring with it a lot of questions about how the changes will affect things like tickets, prices and services.
The answers to some of these questions have been provided by the Department for Transport, as .
Tickets
Q: Is my ticket still valid?
Yes. All tickets bought are still valid for the dates shown on the ticket. This includes all season tickets and all pre-purchased tickets, including if part of your journey is with another rail company.
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Q: Will my ticket purchased for travel after 1 March still be valid?
Yes. All tickets purchased to travel on Northern services will remain valid for the dates shown on the ticket.
Q: Will railcards and season tickets still be accepted after the transfer to Northern Trains Limited?
Yes. Services operated by Northern Trains Limited will continue to accept Arriva Rail North’s railcards and season tickets.
Q: My season ticket is on an Arriva Rail North smart ticket card, is it valid?
Yes. All valid tickets, including season tickets held on smart tickets, will continue to be accepted as they would have been before the transfer.
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Q: Does Northern Trains Limited have a separate new mobile ticketing app?
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Not yet. You should continue to buy tickets through the current Arriva Rail North app.
Q: Will Northern Trains Limited consider reducing ticket fares?
Northern Trains Limited is committed to providing a value for money service for customers. Fares will be reviewed in line with standard industry practices.
Q: I have travel vouchers from a previous refund. Will these be honoured by Northern Trains Limited?
Yes, you can still use your travel vouchers. They will remain valid up to their expiry date.
Q: Will there be any change to fares?
There will be no changes to ticket prices connected to this transfer.
Q: How are you setting prices?
We will follow the same process used before the transfer, continuing with a range of tickets and offers to suit all journeys.
Q: Will railcards and season tickets still be accepted after the transfer to Northern Trains Limited?
Yes. Services operated by Northern Trains Limited will continue to accept Arriva Rail North's railcards and season tickets.
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Q: Will Northern Trains Limited continue accepting railcards?
Yes, there are no changes to Northern Trains Limited’s railcard policy.
Q: What if I have an outstanding compensation claim with Arriva Rail North when it transfers to Northern Trains Limited?
Customers will continue to be able to claim delay compensation from Arriva Rail North until the franchise ends
Northern Trains Limited will deal with delay claims from that date onwards regardless of the date of travel to which it relates.
Any other claims for compensation such as claims arising out of accidents at stations will be handled by Northern Trains Limited regardless of the date that they relate to.
Q: Will season tickets still work? Will they need to update details for automatic delay-repay schemes?
Yes. Season tickets will still work. Customers may need to update details for automatic delay repay. We will provide further details on this when Arriva Rail North transfers to Northern Trains Limited on 1 March 2020.
Q: I have travel vouchers from a previous refund. Will these be honoured by Northern Trains Limited?
Yes, you can still use your travel vouchers. They will remain valid up to their expiry date.
Q: My journey is partly on Arriva Rail North and partly on another train operator, is my ticket valid?
Yes, nothing changes. All valid tickets will continue to be accepted as they would have been before the transfer. We are working with all other train companies and third parties, such as Trainline to ensure this process is uninterrupted.
Timetables and travel
Q: Will there be timetable changes as a result of Northern Trains Limited taking over?
Further announcements will be made in due course following the transfer of Arriva Rail North on 1 March 2020.
In the meantime, please do continue to check timetables, online journey planners and train service updates before you travel, as you do now, for the latest travel information.
Journey updates and information on any service disruptions can be found on the or websites.
Q: Will I still be able to claim compensation if my train is delayed?
Yes, you are still entitled to claim compensation for journeys that are delayed by 15 minutes or more. You can find out more about Delay Repay on the website.
Q: Can I still bring my bike?
Yes. The current arrangements for carrying bikes, luggage, dogs, and so on will stay the same. Please check 's site before you travel to confirm when you can travel with your bike.
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Q: I have booked assisted travel. Do I need to re-book?
No, you do not need to rebook. All your travel arrangements will be carried forward and this transfer will not affect your journey.
Q: Will there be any change to the trains used by Northern Trains Limited?
There will be no immediate change to the trains. Our first priority is to stabilise performance and restore reliability for passengers.
Information about the transfer
Q: What is happening?
On 1 March 2020 the operation of Northern will transfer to a new company, Northern Trains Limited.
Q: Who are Northern Trains Limited?
Northern Trains Limited is owned by DfT OLR Holdings Limited (DOHL).
Q: What is DOHL?
DOHL was established to fulfil the Secretary of State for Transport’s requirements under Section 30 of the Railways Act 1993, to maintain the continuity of customer rail services if a rail franchise terminates and is not immediately replaced.
Q: What will change on transfer to Northern Trains Limited?
It is important to acknowledge that establishing a new owner does not immediately remove any of the significant challenges which the operator is facing, including infrastructure issues and manufacturing delays to new trains.
The immediate priority, Northern Trains said, will be to stabilise performance and restore reliability.
It added: "We want to reassure customers that trains will continue to call at the same stations as they do now and tickets will remain valid. It is our intention to improve trains and services where possible and to focus on providing the best possible service for customers."
Q: What are Northern Trains Limited’s plans for the franchise?
Northern Trains' initial priority is to continue to stabilise performance across the region and restore reliability for customers. It will then explore opportunities to improve the experience for customers.
Q: Will the trains look any different? Will they have a new livery?
No. For the time being, the trains and stations will continue to be branded Northern.
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Q: Will Northern Trains Limited honour partnerships and sponsorship arrangements that were entered into by Arriva Rail North?
It is anticipated that current and valid sponsorship and partnership arrangements will continue as they do now following the transfer to Northern Trains Limited.
The body is still working through the details of these arrangements and will provide further information, when available.
Q: Will Northern Trains Limited have social media accounts?
You can continue to engage with Arriva Rail North through their social media channels. It’s expected that many of these social media accounts will remain in place after the transfer.
Q: How can I contact Northern Trains Limited?
After 1 March 2020 you will be able to contact the new train operator Northern Trains Limited.