Planning to take the train over Christmas? Forget it say Network Rail

Avanti West Train at Manchester Piccadilly station

Passengers who use the West Coast main line from London Euston to the North West are being advised to only travel by train if absolutely necessary between December 24 and 8 January.

Ongoing strike action by members of the RMT union at Network Rail and many train operators, combined with annual Christmas railway upgrades, will bring disruption to trains.

On Christmas Eve (Saturday 24 December) passenger services will stop running between midday and 3pm ahead of a 72-hour strike until December 27.

For that reason, people are being encouraged to travel home for Christmas as early as possible this week.

On December 27 trains will restart later than they normally would – in some places after midday.

Several train operators are running a very limited service over the whole period until the New Year.

Passengers are urged to use National Rail Enquiries www.nationalrail.co.uk for the correct train information if they must travel over the coming weeks.

Dave Penney, Network Rail’s North West and Central region passenger director, said: “We’re really sorry to passengers who are facing further travel misery. 

“We are working across the industry to provide the best service we can this Christmas, but our advice remains to only travel by train if absolutely necessary. If you must travel by rail please check before you set off on your journey by using National Rail Enquiries or checking with your train operator directly. Due to the short notice changes it is possible train times will be different than those on your ticket.”

As well as strike action, engineering work is also impacting on rail journeys over Christmas, including the complete closure of Manchester Piccadilly station for roof repairs on 27 December, and platforms 13 and 14 being closed to trains for ten days between Sunday 25 December and Tuesday 3 January for resurfacing work. With those platforms closed there will be only one direct service per hour between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport.

Journeys across the North between Manchester and York will also be disrupted by ongoing work on the Transpennine Route Upgrade. This will see journeys impacted between Leeds and Huddersfield from 31 December until 3 January while work continues to deliver a new station at Morley.

Further strike dates are also scheduled for the first week of 2023.

Two 48-hour walkouts are due to take place on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4, and Friday 6 & Saturday 7 January. In between on Thursday 5, a strike by train drivers has today been announced by the ASLEF union.

 

 

 

 

 

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