TransPennine Express boss quits at last – The Yorkshire Post says

Even though he commanded a salary package in excess of £300,000 after performance-related bonuses that defied his firm’s reliability record, there were long periods when less than half of TPE trains were on time.

And while many of the firm’s problems were compounded by delays to infrastructure improvements promised by Network Rail, Mr Goodwin did himself few favours by declining to meet commuters – such leaders should be accountable.

No wonder Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced during a visit to The Yorkshire Post that he was inviting TPE’s managing director, and others, to a ‘no coffee’ meeting to order them to raise their collective game. Yet, while First Group paid brief tribute to Mr Goodwin before appointing an interim replacement, the firm cannot be allowed to keep this in-house. After all, it is responsible for running a public service and the suffering endured by commuters, and families, has been incalculable, since the botched timetable changes of May 2018. It has duty to explain this change’s rationale and whether it will lead to more enlightened era of leadership.

Furthermore, its performance record has been even worse than the delays recorded by Northern before Arriva’s franchise was terminated last weekend and returned to public control.

Time will tell if Mr Shapps decides ‘enough is enough’ - as did this newspaper almost two years ago now. Either way, First Group should be fully aware that, from the perspective of TPE users, it is on borrowed time and Mr Goodwin’s ineffective indifference should never have been tolerated for so long.