Rail travellers face Christmas chaos as more strikes loom

RAIL passengers are urged to plan ahead for their journeys over the Christmas period after Northern announced ‘very few’ services would run after 5pm for the last three Saturdays of the year.

Northern announced on Tuesday details of the services it will operate for the RMT strike action on Saturday, December 15 and the following two Saturdays.

The RMT strike action, planned for 15, 22 and 29 December, will see Northern running approximately 700 services during each Saturday – but not many after 5pm.

A Northern spokesperson said: “Those Northern services that do run, and other operators’ services, are expected to be extremely busy as the build-up to Christmas continues.

“Northern has called for RMT to suspend its damaging December strike action and return to talks at ACAS. RMT has made agreements with other train operators that it refuses to discuss with Northern.”

David Brown, Managing Director at Northern, said: “By the end of December, we will have had 19 consecutive Saturdays of RMT strike action.

“This targeted action disrupts our customers’ lives.

“But, as we enter a vital period for businesses, it also damages the economic wellbeing of the north of England.

“We have fantastic colleagues who have supported customers by keeping our trains running on each of the RMT strike days.

“We are aiming to keep as many people moving as possible and ensuring customers can still travel into the biggest towns and cities for the big seasonal events including Christmas markets – but with very few services running after 5pm. We expect all of our services, and those of other operators, to be extremely busy and are calling on our customers to plan their travel carefully for the coming weekend, check the new timetables well in advance, and make sure they do not rely on the last trains home.”

As well as Christmas markets, there are a number of significant sporting fixtures and other events over the next few weeks that customers are asked to check timetables and plan carefully if they are attending.