Greig Watson
Reporter, BBC News Online

Nearly 40 East Midlands Railway (EMR) services are being withdrawn or reduced, with the company blaming "a steep rise in Covid-related absences".

The new timetable will start on Monday, external with EMR saying the changes affect 37 services - about 10% of the total.

Bosses said the reduction was "designed to safely reduce the number of staff required to deliver its services".

Regional routes, such as Liverpool to Nottingham, Matlock to Newark Castle and Peterborough to Lincoln are most heavily hit, and some Nottingham to Leicester trains have also been cut.

Will Rogers, managing director of East Midlands Railway, said: "We have taken the proactive step to make changes to our timetable to protect our most popular services, including those that are relied upon by key workers or those who use our services to travel to work, school or college."

He said the changes will remain under review.