Railway workers are set to stage a one-day walkout on 27 July 2022 as part of an ongoing dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
It comes just weeks after the UK saw the biggest national rail strike in 50 years.
Thousands of Network rail workers walked out during strike action in June, causing major disruption for millions of commuters.
Earlier this week, the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union (RMT) were offered a 5% pay rise, heavily discounted travel and huge monthly cash bonuses by Network Rail in a desparate attempt to prevent further strikes.
Declining this offer, members of the union described it as "paltry" and declared they would be consulting other unions with mandates for further strike action in the coming days.
Members of the drivers' union Aslef and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) have agreed to industrial action in recent days. If members of the Aslef union go ahead with the walkout, it would mean that as little as 1 in 10 trains would run on chosen strike days.
At the end of July, ballots will close for strike action at CrossCountry, Avanti West Coast and Direct Rail Services.
Here's what you need to know:
On Wednesday 13 July 2022, it was announced that Network Rail and RMT staff will next strike on July 27 for 24 hours.
Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Great Western, LNER, Northern Trains, Southeastern, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains will all be affected by the upcoming Aslef strikes.
The strike is expected to include over 40,000 workers - roughly 20,000 from Network Rail, including signalling and track maintenance workers, and the remainder from 14 train operating companies.
More information regarding altered timetables and cancellations will be shared in due course and can be found on the Network Rail website.
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept is on its way.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast is gearing up to bring its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds will combine saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space will feature two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: Supplied
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
To suit different moods and preferences, Kontrast Leeds will include both a social sauna and a silent sauna, giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
Image: Supplied
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
The Leeds site builds on everything the team has learned from Kontrast in Manchester.
Alongside the core sauna, Ice, cafe offering, the new site will include improved facilities, more spacious sauna provision and additional ice baths meaning more room for people to get involved.
Leeds city centre crowned one of the best places to live in the north by The Sunday Times
Clementine Hall
Today, Leeds city centre earned itself a coveted spot in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
What brilliant news to end the week on, hey?
Leeds city centre was amongst eight other locations across the north and the north east to be featured on the list.
The market town of Skipton took home the dazzling first prize, but it's still nice to be included isn't it.
Here's what the judges had to say about Leeds city centre: “Leeds has five universities, the fourth largest urban economy in the UK (with job opportunities in finance, insurance and big business), a youthful vibe and a relatively affordable average house price (£285,100).
Image: Unsplash
“Stay close to the centre, where you won’t have to worry about the patchy public transport, and it all adds up to a fun-filled, fulfilled life within walking distance of stylish shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. There’s a good choice of riverside homes, where you may spot kingfishers and otters, and even the schools are good.”
In total, 72 places across the UK were selected by The Sunday Times to showcase the very best of Britain, with Norwich named the overall national winner.
The full list of locations in the north and northeast include:
Skipton
Howardian Hills, North Yorkshire
Leeds city centre
Morpeth, Northumberland
Newcastle: Gosforth
Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire
Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire
York
Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, said: “This guide is a great opportunity to highlight the best places in Britain.
“It is full of places that show that our village, town and city centres can still be full of life, as well as places bursting with natural beauty, culture, connectivity and most importantly a sense of community.
“Our expert team of judges visit every location on the list and talk to the locals to find out what they love about the place they live."
Clementine Hall -
14th July 2022 
