Northern releases timetables for RMT strike on Wednesday 8 November

Northern plans to run more than 1,300 services, concentrating its efforts on running as many trains as possible between 0700 and 1900 to get customers into work and home again. Between those hours, Northern will operate around 65% of the normal weekday timetable.

Northern has added a number of new services to its strike timetable compared to previous RMT strikes:

• Leeds to Skipton - additional evening trains at 2053 and 2226
• Leeds to Ilkley - additional evening trains at 2107 and 2315
• Earlier morning peak and later evening peak services between Leeds and Harrogate - first train from Harrogate to Leeds at 0707, last train back at 2129
• For the first time on an RMT strike day: services between Retford and Lincoln and services between Newcastle and Morpeth
• Additional evening peak service between Newcastle and Carlisle at 1716, and Carlisle to Newcastle at 1938
• Reintroduction of Ashton-Under Lyne to Manchester Victoria service
• Earlier morning peak departure from Hadfield at 0700 and Glossop at 0705 to Manchester Piccadilly

On 8 November, Northern expects all services to be busy, especially in the morning and evening peak periods, and is advising customers to allow extra time to travel.

Details of the revised timetables can be found on Northern’s industrial action page at northernrailway.co.uk/strike. This includes information on any rail replacement bus services that Northern will provide.

Customers in the Sheffield area, looking to use Northern services to attend the Meadowhall Christmas Live event, have been informed they will need to find alternative travel options for their journey home as the last trains will depart in advance of the event’s 8pm finishing time.

Sharon Keith, regional director at Northern, said: “We are doing all we can to keep customers on the move on 8 November and will run over 1,300 services on our busier routes between 0700 and 1900. This is our highest service level yet on an RMT strike day.

“Rail replacement bus services are available on some routes where trains aren’t running and we ask everyone to plan ahead and keep checking services on our website.

“Information is being displayed on posters at stations and our colleagues will be across the network supporting customers on their journeys with any help or information they may need.”

RMT’s planned strike action comes despite Northern is investing to modernise the customer travel experience. By 2020 there will be 98 new trains, 243 updated trains, faster and more frequent services, more space for customers, and better stations. By the end of this year over 100 stations will be upgraded and over 30 updated trains are already operating on the network.

Sharon Keith added: "Northern is committed to delivering new trains, faster journeys and better stations for customers. We are prepared to guarantee jobs and pay for conductors for the next eight years if we can reach agreement on how our colleagues can deliver better customer service in the future. RMT is striking yet again at Northern and at the same time on several other train operators. We remain available for talks with the union."

RMT strike action is also taking place on Merseyrail, Southern, Greater Anglia and South Western on 8 November.

Customers who travel on 8 November and experience delays of 30 minutes or more, can claim compensation through Northern’s Delay Repay scheme. Those with season tickets that don’t include buses, trams or ferries, who decide not to travel due to strike action, can also claim compensation. All claims can be made using Northern’s Delay Repay process on Northern’s website or by collecting a form at any staffed station.

Northern timetable information can be found at:

• www.northernrailway.co.uk/strike

• www.nationalrail.co.uk

• Twitter @northernassist 

• Or by calling 0800 200 6060