Train passengers advised against travel on Sunday, September 8, 2024
A train operator has cautioned passengers not to travel on specific routes in north-west England on Sunday due to a shortage of staff. Northern, a Department for Transport-owned company, has alerted passengers to anticipate last-minute cancellations. The affected routes include:
– Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge
– Manchester Victoria to Chester
– Manchester Piccadilly to Chester
– Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke
– Liverpool Lime Street to Blackpool North
Services in and around the North West could face disruptions and immediate cancellations. Passengers are advised to plan their journeys carefully, especially considering that last trains of the day may operate earlier than usual and could also be canceled without prior notice. The scarcity of train crew availability has caused numerous cancellations, particularly on Sundays. Many train drivers and crew members do not work on Sundays as part of their contracts, leading operators like Northern to rely on voluntary extra shifts to operate scheduled services on these days.
Northern has been issued a “breach notice” by the Department for Transport, mandating the creation of an improvement plan. A Northern spokesperson expressed regret for the heightened cancellations recently and highlighted that the primary reason for service disruptions remains the availability of train crews and the contractual exclusion of Sundays. The operator emphasized its commitment to enhancing timetable reliability as a top priority.
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## Wales Online
Northern, a train operator, has recommended passengers avoid traveling on specific routes in north-west England on Sunday, September 8, 2024, due to a lack of available staff. The affected routes include intercity services:
– Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge
– Manchester Victoria to Chester
– Manchester Piccadilly to Chester
– Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke
– Liverpool Lime Street to Blackpool North
The operator has warned of potential service disruptions and immediate cancellations on multiple routes in the North West. Passengers are advised to plan journeys meticulously, especially considering the likelihood of last-minute cancellations and earlier final services. The unavailability of train crews on Sundays has led to a significant increase in cancellations, particularly on weekends. As many train drivers and crew members do not typically work on Sundays according to their contracts, operators such as Northern rely heavily on voluntary shifts to manage services on those days.
In response to the ongoing service challenges, the Department for Transport has issued Northern a “breach notice” requiring the formulation of an improvement strategy. A spokesperson for Northern acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the recent spike in cancellations and reiterated the persistent issue of train crew availability and contractual limitations on Sunday operations. Enhancing timetable reliability has been identified as the primary focus for the operator moving forward.