THE new operator of the trans-Pennine rail service declared it had made a good start to the franchise, despite being forced to cut the number of new trains running on the service.

The Strategic Rail Authority told First Group to reduce its order of new trains from 56 to 51. But the transport company said the new rolling stock would still allow it to run more services than the current timetable.

Passenger representatives in the North-West have expressed concern about the cut.

The TransPennine Express (TPEX) franchise, which First began running last month in conjunction with French group Keolis, combines regional services from Newcastle and Leeds to Manchester and Liverpool.

A First spokesman said the figure of 56 new trains, which Siemens is building in Germany, had always been provisional.

He confirmed a claim in a report in Rail magazine that the trains, which will cost more than £230m, would have fewer seats than the older stock they are replacing.

But he said they would be timetabled to provide more seats on peak morning services into Manchester and Leeds than are currently available.

The spokesman said the company would buy more trains if demand justified it. Latest figures show a slight improvement in performance in the month after First started operating the franchise.

In addition to TPEX and First Great Western, First runs First North Western and First Great Eastern. Its Great Western franchise is being extended to include services run by Go-Ahead subsidiary Thames Trains.

First said its bus and rail businesses had continued to flourish as it announced pre-tax profits and sales in line with market expectations.

The company, based in Aberdeen, which runs buses in London, Bristol and elsewhere in the UK, said its bus division had benefited from continued growth in the capital and other cities.

The group said its First Great Western train franchise, which runs from London to Wales and the South-West, had boosted passenger numbers by about five per cent year-on-year.

It said it was expecting pre-tax profits of about £160m in the year to March 31, against £159.8m last time. First said its US business had another good year, with maintained margins underpinning strong sales and operating growth.