It takes about 18 months to train a driver

A statement from Arriva said: "The temporary timetable, which affected 10% of our services, was introduced from 29 October 2001 following agreement with the Strategic Rail Authority and the four affected Passenger Transport Executives.

"It significantly reduced the number of ad hoc cancellations that had previously affected customers.

"The restoration of the vast majority of services is the result of the company's long-term programme to recruit and train new drivers.

"Over the past four months we have been carefully planning, taking account of new drivers coming through our driving school, to ensure that services could be restored in a sustainable way."

A spokeswoman for Arriva confirmed the services were restored on Monday. She said: "Everything has gone to plan."

Arriva met officials from the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) in October to ask for permission to reduce the timetable.

Our impression is that Arriva is moving in the right direction

Ernie Preston, Rail Passengers Committee

The firm also sought approval from passenger transport authorities on the network which covers most of northern England between Liverpool and Newcastle.

Arriva claims its shortage of drivers was partly due to other companies poaching trained operators with offers of larger salaries.

To bring in more drivers, the firm launched what it described as one of the largest recruitment campaigns ever seen in the industry.

Its target was to entice more than 120 drivers by the end of last year and bring in a further 170 in 2002.

Timetable pledges

However, each driver needs 18 months training before they can operate without supervision.

Ernie Preston, secretary of the Rail Passengers Committee in the North East, said: "The restoration of the services is obviously good news for commuters.

"Our intelligence from within Arriva suggests that they are keen not to over-promise and then under-deliver on train timetables so I'm fairly confident they will be able to run all the trains they say they will.

"Our impression is that Arriva is moving in the right direction."

Despite the extra services, commuters using Arriva trains will still face problems on 1 and 2 March - because of a strike by guards and ticket-office staff.