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Chris Grayling 'to look into' delay-hit Yorkshire rail line

BBC Mr Frank looking at a train information boardBBC
Stuart Frank said he missed Kieran Trippier's World Cup semi-final goal as the service was late

The transport secretary will "look into" improving services on a North Yorkshire train line hit by repeated delays, an MP has said.

Kevin Hollinrake, Thirsk and Malton's MP, said he had met Chris Grayling after complaints from passengers about the York to Scarborough service.

He said TransPennine Express (TPE) had apologised and planned to change driver schedules to improve services.

One regular commuter told the BBC his train had not been on time since May.

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Mr Hollinrake, the area's Conservative MP, said he had conveyed to TPE "the extreme frustration felt by many of my constituents since new timetables were introduced in May".

He said had met Mr Grayling alongside Robert Goodwill, the Scarborough and Whitby MP, to discuss constituents who are "regularly inconvenienced".

Mr Grayling "said he will look into what can be done to improve the experience of passengers travelling from York to Scarborough and what can be done to compensate passengers for delayed or cancelled trains", according to Mr Hollinrake.

Mr Frank outside Malton station
Stuart Frank said the longest delay he has faced on the Leeds to Malton service is 100 minutes

Stuart Frank lives in Malton and uses the train to travel between there and his office in Leeds.

He claimed the 17:21 service home had not arrived at Leeds on time in 39 journeys, with knock-on delays meaning he is continually late to Malton.

Mr Frank, who pays more than £300 a month for his ticket, said: "It all feels very shambolic."

TransPennine Express (TPE) said cancellations and delays were down to factors including signalling failures, trespass and congestion in Manchester following the timetable change.

Mr Frank claimed since the timetable change the hourly train service had been 18 minutes late on average, with a longest delay of an hour and 40 minutes.