Passengers across the north-west will soon see more frequent and reliable train services after the Government worked with publicly-owned operator Northern to end the near decade-long dispute.
Since 2017 Northern has been in dispute with the RMT union over whether conductors agreed to work Sundays, and whether responsibility for closing the train doors rests with the train driver or conductors.
This has resulted in a reliance on voluntary overtime working on Sundays and a second-rate Sunday service for passengers across the north-west, with nearly a fifth of all Northern’s services cancelled every Sunday.
The new deal will transform travel for thousands of passengers and means that from this Sunday (15 November), extra Sunday services will be in place for festive shoppers, families and those travelling to work.
By mid-December, around 70 additional services each Sunday will add 10,000 additional seats to the timetable and ease pressure on the busiest routes, with the full timetable of around 230 Sunday services restored from May.
Northern can now commit to restoring services to communities across the region and at major cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield, boosting revenue by an estimated £4 million a year.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, said:
“This is a landmark moment for passengers across the north-west who for too long, have suffered from second-rate services and unacceptable levels of disruption.
“We’re paving the way for the biggest transformation to travel in the North in a generation, unlocking jobs, homes and opportunities and creating a world-class economic growth corridor that people of the region need and deserve.
“These extra Sunday services are part of that change, meaning more people will be able to get to Christmas markets, see family and friends, and do their festive shopping by train.”
This is not a “no strings attached pay deal”. It buys out outdated working practices that have cost passengers hundreds of reliable services on Sundays. The majority of this is money Northern already pay to their conductors to incentivise them to volunteer to work overtime.
RMT union members have agreed to permanently include Sundays within the working week, meaning consistent and planned staffing levels across the weekend, leading to fewer traincrew cancellations. They are also introducing new terms for the role of train guards, so staff onboard can fully focus on supporting customers.
The deal sets an important precedent for how Government will work with publicly owned operators and Great British Railways (GBR), once established – listening to staff, engaging with their concerns, and finding a way forward that puts passengers first.
The dispute has led to a reliance on voluntary overtime working on Sundays and a highly unpredictable service with high cancellation rates. Communities in Manchester and Liverpool have been left with only one train every two hours and in some cases, no rail replacement services.
It has also impacted Manchester Airport and surrounding towns right up to the Lake District. Since January 2025, Northern has been running a reduced Sunday timetable in the north-west to provide certainty for customers.
Tricia Williams, Managing Director of Northern, said:
“This is a genuinely groundbreaking agreement and a hugely positive moment for our customers, our colleagues and the railway across the North of England.
“We know how frustrating the lack of Sunday services has been for many communities. We are committed to bringing services back as quickly as we can, taking a phased approach over the coming months and prioritising those routes and journeys where the impact has been greatest.
“I would also like to recognise the constructive work with the RMT in reaching this agreement. It demonstrates what can be achieved through working together, and gives us a real opportunity to move forward.”
The agreement shows this Government taking a passenger focused approach to resolving longstanding industrial disputes. Rail services lost due to cancellations and national strikes have more than halved since the height of industrial action under the previous Government. There have been no days of national strike action over the last two years, compared to over 50 days of widespread disruption due to strikes between June 2022 and May 2024.
By working constructively with rail operators, staff and unions, the Government has to date saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds in lost revenue while delivering meaningful improvements for passengers.
Under the new terms, conductors will receive an uplift to their base salary in return for measures including bringing Sundays permanently into the working week, aligning their pay more closely with comparable roles across the industry. Passengers will continue to see conductors on all Northern trains, with their safety-critical role protected for the future.