Northern trains disrupted as staff test positive for Covid and isolate

Passengers on Northern trains should expect travel disruptions on services this weekend after a number of frontline staff have tested positive for Covid-19.

Passengers are being warned that some services will be interrupted this weekend as the train company becomes the latest to be struck by high rates of infection.

Northern said a number of its public-facing employees have tested positive for Covid-19, and others are being forced to self-isolate after coming into contact with them.

This means that some services this weekend may not be running, with the worst affected areas expected to be North Lancashire and Cumbria.

“A high proportion of staff based at Barrow and Workington have been instructed to self-isolate. This has exacerbated issues we were already experiencing in the region following an increase in the number of employees who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have had to enter a period of self-isolation,” said Chris Jackson regional director at Northern.

“Many of these colleagues are drivers and conductors and, as such, we are left with no option but to cancel some services this week in Cumbria and north Lancashire.

“We are doing all we can to provide the best possible service for customers in extremely difficult circumstances and, where we are not able to run rail services, we will have replacement buses on standby to get our customers where they need to be.”

Warnings are also being issued ahead of England’s game on Saturday that services are expected to be busier than usual, with Northern asking people to not take the last train home in order to help them stop this last service from being too busy.

“Of course, many people will want to support England and will be travelling to pubs and bars to watch the match,” added Mr Jackson.

“With kick off at 8pm, that only leaves a handful of trains on our key routes after the match to get people home and we’re asking our customers to plan ahead and to use all available services. We’ll have buses on standby in many places to assist, but customers can help by staggering their journeys and not all waiting for the last train home.”

Feature image – El Pollock