Northern and the RMT union have reached a landmark agreement which will bring an end to the longest-running industrial dispute on the railway, and pave the way for a more reliable Sunday service for customers across the North West.
Since 2017 Northern has been in dispute with the RMT union over whether conductors agreed to work Sundays, and whether responsibility for closing the train doors rests with the train driver or conductors.
This has resulted in a reliance on voluntary overtime working on Sundays and a second-rate Sunday service for passengers across the north-west, with nearly a fifth of all Northern’s services cancelled every Sunday.
Under the new terms, conductors will receive an uplift to their base salary in return for measures including bringing Sundays permanently into the working week, aligning their pay more closely with comparable roles across the industry. Passengers will continue to see conductors on all Northern trains, with their safety-critical role protected for the future.
The agreement represents a significant step forward in modernising the railway, and creates the foundations for a seven-day service that can meet the growing demand for customers using the railway at the weekend.
It will allow Northern to begin restoring between 60 and 80 additional Sunday train services across the North West over the coming weeks, giving customers more opportunities to travel for work, leisure, shopping, and days out.
Services will be reintroduced incrementally, with a focus on supporting key events such as the Christmas markets and prioritising routes which have seen no Sunday services for more than two years. Around 230 Sunday trains will be restored by May next year.
Tricia Williams, managing director of Northern, said: “This is a genuinely groundbreaking agreement and a hugely positive moment for our customers, our colleagues and the railway across the North of England.
“Bringing an end to the longest-running trade dispute on the railway gives us the opportunity to look forward and, importantly, start delivering the improvements our customers have been waiting for.
“We want people to have confidence that they can travel by train on a Sunday, whether they are going to work, visiting friends and family, heading into a city centre or enjoying a day out. This agreement gives us the foundation to build a more reliable, modern railway that works seven days a week.
“We know how frustrating the lack of Sunday services has been for many communities. We are committed to bringing services back as quickly as we can, taking a phased approach over the coming months and prioritising those routes and journeys where the impact has been greatest.
“I would also like to recognise the constructive work with the RMT in reaching this agreement. It demonstrates what can be achieved through working together, and gives us a real opportunity to move forward.”
The restoration of Sunday services will be phased to ensure Northern can deliver the changes reliably and sustainably, with further information about service improvements shared with customers as plans progress.
Image credit: Northern
