Northern Rail passengers urged to plan ahead as strike action hits Lancashire's railways

Travellers across Lancashire are being urged to plan ahead as strikes hit the rail network again this weekend.
Train operator Northern Rail has been hit by a series of strikes organised by the RMT unionTrain operator Northern Rail has been hit by a series of strikes organised by the RMT union
Train operator Northern Rail has been hit by a series of strikes organised by the RMT union

Ongoing strike action by rail union the RMT threatens to result in unusually busy trains this Saturday, according to Network Rail.

Northern services will stop running at 5pm, meaning trains run by other operators will be busier than usual.

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Passengers are being advised to check before they travel, to plan journeys in advance and to make a note of their last trains home.

Thousands of people visiting Manchester’s Christmas markets and football fans heading to fixtures across the North West, including home matches for Burnley, Wigan and Blackpool, are being warned to expect disruption if travelling by rail.

Network Rail says it is working closely with its train operator partners to try to minimise any impact on customers.

Extra staff will be on hand at Manchester Piccadilly station on Saturday to help passengers affected, but people should be mindful of the reduced Northern services and their scheduled 5pm finish.

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For the latest information on the Northern strike action visit: www.northernrailway.co.uk/strike

Passengers can also check www.nationalrail.co.uk for further train information.

Meanwhile, ongoing engineering work on the electrification of the Manchester to Preston line as part of the Great North Rail Project continues on Saturday 8 December, where buses will replace trains between Wigan Wallgate and Manchester.