The order was issued during a meeting at the Ministry of Transport on Wednesday, during which the company was asked to explain the current situation, according to Social Democratic transport spokesperson Thomas Jensen.

“For us it’s important that, when we agree on a contract, it must be respected. People have to be able to take the train without all those cancellations,” Jensen told TV Midtvest.

GoCollective has operated transport in Denmark since 2003 when it was awarded a government contract for regional rail services in Central and West Jutland.

In June, the company cancelled 80 services in Jutland with the space of a week – more than 10 each day on average.

At the time, the company said that maintenance works on trains were behind the cancellations.

The company was grilled on a number of questions at the ministerial meeting according to Jensen, including how many times it has cancelled departures and why.

An assessment will be made by the end of the year as to whether the company has fulfilled the terms of its contract.

If this is not found to be the case, GoCollective can be “released from its duties”, Jensen told TV Midtvest.