The firm responsible for one of the region's biggest rail networks has marked its first anniversary by claiming that it has put on an extra three quarters of a million passengers.

TransPennine Express said 14.3m passengers had used its trains during the first year of its franchise, making it one of the country's fastest growing train operators.

This was up from 13.6m before it took over the North-Eastern portion of the franchise on February 1 last year from Arriva Trains Northern Vernon Barker, managing director of TransPennine Express said: "This is a great foundation for us to make further improvements and revitalise the TransPennine network."

The number of train services running daily had increased from 220 to 235 a day and four new trains have been added to the TransPennine fleet at a cost of more than £700,000.

TransPennine, which has also recruited an additional 40 train drivers, hopes to have 51 new trains ready to enter service towards the end of 2006 and is also continuing with a £12m station improvement programme.

It has however experienced some difficulties during the course of the last year and was temporarily forced to cut services between York, Thirsk, Northallerton and Middlesbrough and replace trains with buses in a bid to increase reliability.

Some passengers have also accused the firm of concentrating its efforts on services between Manchester-York-Leeds and complained of overcrowded trains and a lack of information.

A spokesman said: "With 14.3m passengers there are always bound to be some complaints, but we are confident that the vast majority have had positive experiences with us."

*Network Rail is spending £2.7m on engineering improvements at Seamer, near Scarborough, which will involve renewal of a junction and realigning the track.

The work will mean that between Sunday February 13 and Saturday February 19 the line at Seamer will be closed and replacement bus services will operate between Scarborough and Malton and Scarborough and Filey.