TRAIN operators have advised customers to make alternative arrangements for travel over the Easter holidays when the latest strike takes place.

Aslef, which largely represents train drivers, has announced three days of action and further days of overtime bans that will impact various train operators on different days.

This includes walk outs on Friday, April 5, Saturday, April 6, and Monday, April 8, with Northern and Trans Pennine Express cancelling their full schedule on Saturday.

This will affect customers in the borough at stations like Atherton, Hag Fold, and Hindley.

Leigh Journal: Northern will not be running any trains on April 6Northern will not be running any trains on April 6 (Image: Northern)
Industrial action by Aslef in a dispute over pay and working arrangements began in July 2022, with the union demanding a no-strings pay award.

Hundreds of millions of journeys have been cancelled across the country in the meantime, but rail firms say that any increase is contingent on reforms to working practices in order to reduce public subsidies.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said: “We are disappointed that ASLEF has chosen to call yet more strike action and we would encourage them to work with the rail industry so we can put an end to this dispute.

“We can only apologise to customers in the meantime for the significant disruption and inconvenience this action by ASLEF will cause.”

Kathryn O’Brien, Customer Experience & Transformation Director at TPE, added: “Unfortunately, strike action will once again, cause disruption to our services, as well as those across the country. 

“Sadly, we won’t be able to run any trains at all on Saturday 6 April, and some services will be affected this week by further industrial action.

“We expect the action short of a strike to cause some disruption, delays and short-notice cancellations. I would advise customers to check very carefully before they travel and to allow extra time for any journeys. 

“We’re extremely sorry for the impact this action will have for our customers and will do all we can to keep as many people on the move as possible.” 

More information about the strike and the services that will be affected can be found here at Northern's website here and Trans Pennine here.