Northern Trains to Continue Sunday Cuts as Operator Seeks Extension
Northern trains will maintain reduced Sunday services while seeking a four-month extension amid ongoing service issues and union disputes
Northern Trains, Manchester, UK, Rail Services, Union Disputes
Manchester: So, it looks like Northern trains are sticking with their reduced Sunday schedule for a bit longer. They’re hoping to keep this going for four more months while they sort things out.
People have been pretty upset about all the train cancellations, especially on Sundays. Northern’s bosses have admitted that their service isn’t cutting it, and it might take them up to three years to really fix things.
Things got a bit messy when union members turned down a temporary deal for train conductors. Northern said this deal was crucial for reducing those pesky cancellations. Now, they’re looking for more funding from the Treasury to make a better pay offer.
In a recent meeting with local leaders, Northern laid out their plans to keep cutting Sunday services in the North West until May. They claim this will give customers more certainty, but it’s still a tough pill to swallow for many.
As of now, they haven’t finalized the four-month extension with the Rail North Committee. For the time being, the reduced Sunday timetable will stick around at least until the end of January.
Back in November, the Rail North Committee, led by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, was not happy when Northern announced ambitious targets to improve services. They apologized for their poor performance and promised to get cancellations down to just 2 percent.
However, Northern’s chief operating officer, Matt Rice, warned that these goals won’t be met until 2027. He mentioned that they’ll need some major timetable changes to make it happen, which isn’t exactly reassuring.
Mr. Burnham has been vocal about wanting Northern to come back to the committee soon to lay out clear milestones for their 2027 goals. The last meeting was kept under wraps, but it’s clear there’s a lot to discuss.
Northern is also trying to create a more customer-friendly seven-day railway, but they’re facing some tough challenges, including ongoing disputes with unions.
Last year, they did reach a three-year agreement with train drivers, but the interim offer for conductors was rejected, leading to more disruptions.
In December, Northern had to cancel a bunch of Sunday services after promising a reduced timetable for the holiday season. They’ve confirmed that this reduced schedule will continue this month.
A spokesperson for Northern said they introduced the temporary Sunday timetable to cut down on last-minute cancellations and give passengers more certainty. They’re working on plans for what comes next and are committed to improving their performance.
It sounds like the issues discussed in that private meeting will be on the table when the Rail North Committee meets publicly again on February 25. Fingers crossed for some good news!