TRAIN company TransPennine Express has warned of an amended timetable in some areas in response to the dreaded ‘leaves on the line’ problem.

The firm said it would be changing the times of some of its services in ‘hotspot’ areas for leaves during the autumn.

Its operations director Paul Watson said: “It may sound like a joke, but the residue created by squashed leaves leads to very difficult driving conditions which can affect the way we operate, much like driving on black ice and we all know how tricky that can be.

“This is why some of our trains have to slow down. Ensuring customers arrive safely to their destination is our first priority even if this means they may be a few minutes late in some cases.”

Changes to its timetable will take place between October 24 and December 10 and affect services from Middlesbrough and a number of other stations on its network.

Passengers are advised to check times before they travel.