'Shocking' Northern trains cancelled into Manchester on 'busiest day of the year'

Almost all Northern trains to Manchester Piccadilly have been cancelled today despite transport bosses asking people to use public transport to reach the city centre.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have dubbed this the busiest weekend of the year, with the Manchester Derby, two Paul McCartney concerts at Co-op Live, Disney on Ice at the AO Arena, as well as the usual lure of the Christmas markets. 

However, due to ‘a member of train crew being unavailable’, no Northern trains from Hadfield or Buxton are running to or from the city. 

High Peak MP Jon Pearce said: "The services from Northern Rail are once again truly shocking. 

"With the Manchester Derby on and families wanting to do their Christmas shopping it is ruining people's weekends.

"I demanded a meeting with them a couple of weeks ago and they promised things would improve. I'll be having another meeting with them this week and I'll be raising it with ministers."

A statement on Northern's website about services on the Glossop and Hadfield line said: “Northern tickets may be used at no additional cost on board TransPennine Express services between Manchester Piccadilly – Stalybridge."

As for trains coming from Buxton: “Northern tickets may be used at no additional cost on board TransPennine Express, Transport for Wales, Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway & CrossCountry services between Manchester Piccadilly - Stockport. 
 
“Northern tickets may also be used on board the Bee Network 192 Bus Service between Manchester City Centre - Hazel Grove. This is the suggested method of travel for those customers travelling to/from Levenshulme & Heaton Chapel.” 

Damien Greenhalgh, the Deputy Leader of High Peak Borough Council was also scathing of Northern: “Yet another Sunday with a completely unusable service from Northern, made worse by all the advice to use the train to get into Manchester for the big-name gigs, markets and shopping this weekend. 

“It’s so frustrating for so many. This really has to change. Northern need to get their staffing sorted.” 

This is the latest in a series of train cancellations that have blighted Northern services every weekend since the summer.  

The company revealed last week that it would roll out a new timetable today (Sunday, December 15), although none of those improvements were scheduled to impact the Buxton and Glossop lines.