Northern timetable changes set to reflect passenger demands.

UK train operator Northern is set to unveil a nationwide timetable change that will come into effect next month on Sunday 21st May, making key alterations to its 2,500 daily services. An overwhelming majority of Northern’s services will remain unchanged, seeing a small, but important, number of changes to specific lines. In the North West, Northern are looking to introduce a new hourly service between Leeds and Chester via Manchester Victoria on Sundays.

This will maximise the current capacity through the Calder Valley to accommodate for the on-going TransPennine Route Upgrade engineering work. Whilst the ‘Dales Rail’ service from Blackpool North to Carlisle will not be operating throughout the coming summer, Northern is currently collaborating with stakeholders on proposals for the reintroduction of services in 2024. Following the completion of new platform infrastructure at Hartlepool station, Northern is set to introduce an additional service between Middlesbrough and Newcastle.

The early morning Service between Middlesbrough and Whitby has subsequently been removed from the timetable completely, thus enabling Northern to increase capacity on the busier 10.19 service between the two towns. Yorkshire will see Northern operate a new weekday return service between Sheffield and Cleethorpes. Services from from Ilkley and Skipton to Bradford Forster Square are et to continue to run twice an hour throughout the peak times, however, these will reduce to one train per hour during the off-peak times as reflection on the lower passenger demand.

Though the service from Sheffield to Gainsborough Lea Road will remain unchanged, there will no longer be mid-week services to Gainsborough Central during peak times. Tricia Williams, chief operating officer of Northern, said: “The new timetable coming into effect next month is part of a national timetable change process that takes place twice a year for all train operators in England.

The train network is a complex system of inter-dependent parts, and it is vital that changes are co-ordinated in this way.” “For the vast majority of our customers there is no change, but some will notice a slight re-timing of service – as such, I would advise all customers to check the timetable for any travel plans after 21 May. “There are a very small number of services that have been removed from the timetable which reflects customer demand and we have already communicated that information to those communities.”

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