Passengers travelling to Manchester Piccadilly warned ahead of rail strikes

Passengers planning on travelling through Manchester Piccadilly station during this week’s rail strikes are being warned to expect disruption.

Only six trains per hour will depart from the station tomorrow (Wednesday 27 July) – compared to an average of 30 departures an hour on a non-strike day.

Across the UK 20 per cent of trains will be running on around 50 per cent of the railway network.

Manchester Piccadilly’s last trains will leave between 3pm and 5pm with last arrivals by 6.30pm. The station will close its doors completely at 7pm on Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile in East Lancashire no trains will be running at all on Wednesday.

People are advised to only travel by rail if necessary because of the continuing staff walkouts by RMT union members.

Passengers who still need to travel should check the National Rail website so they know exactly what to expect.

Passengers should also expect disruption on the morning of Thursday, July 28, with a later start to services as employees return to duties.

Phil James, Network Rail’s North West route director, said: “With a fraction of the usual workforce available, including signallers who safely move trains around the network, there will be a severely limited service during RMT strike action tomorrow.

“I can only apologise for the impact another RMT strike will have on people’s lives, especially those travelling for holidays or attending events such as the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 semi-final in Milton Keynes and the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

“It is frustrating to yet again ask our passengers to change their plans and only make essential journeys.”

Separately, train drivers’ union Aslef has called strike action across seven train operators on Saturday, July 30, that will significantly disrupt some routes, so passengers are asked to check their journeys before travelling over the weekend as well.

If passengers with an advance, off-peak or anytime ticket are affected by the strikes on July 27 or 30, they can use their ticket either on the day before the date on the ticket, or up to and including Tuesday, August 2.

Passengers can also change their tickets to travel on an alternate date, or get a refund if their train is cancelled or rescheduled.

Passengers with a season ticket that is monthly or longer, or have an activated days’ worth of travel on a flexi season ticket who choose not to travel on 27 or 30 July, can claim compensation for these days through the delay repay scheme.