Northern Issues Holiday Travel Advice as New Year Upgrades Begin

Northern has issued updated guidance for passengers planning travel over New Year and into the first week of January. Services will largely follow normal weekday timetables on New Year's Eve, though the final trains will depart around 9pm. Meanwhile, bus replacements will operate between Leeds and York or Selby while improvement work continues on the line.

Trains on New Year's Day will begin running later in the morning and generally follow a normal Thursday schedule, except in the North East, where services will be more limited. Following its successful debut last year, Northern will operate two fast trains in each direction connecting Darlington, Middlesbrough, and Whitby, giving passengers a chance to enjoy the coastal town over the holiday. Beyond these services, no other trains will run in the North East on New Year’s Day.

Work to upgrade the Northern network will continue throughout January, with various lines seeing train diversions or bus replacements. The Leeds to York route, via Micklefield, is among the areas affected as part of the ongoing Transpennine Route Upgrade.

Matt Rice, Chief Operating Officer at Northern, said:

"Whilst fewer people are travelling, Network Rail will be carrying out a range of improvement works across the network, so I'd encourage customers to 'check before you travel' to see if your journey is affected."

Image: Northern