Northern is pleading with passengers not to fire verbal or physical “abuse” at conductors on its trains.
As we head into the busy summer travel season, the train operator has highlighted a number of incidents that its crew members have faced in recent years while they’ve been on duty and working to “ensure everyone reaches their destination safely”.
Now, it’s cracking down and asking the public to treat everyone working on the railway with “respect”.
Northern has admitted that while the “overwhelming majority” of people who travel on its trains are polite and respectful, this unfortunately cannot be said for everyone, as there’s sadly been a “very small minority” that has resorted to shouting, spitting, and attacking members of staff over the last couple of years.
The company said it “will not tolerate” verbal and physical abuse towards staff, and is insisting it will be quick to “take action” against anyone who threatens its employees’ safety.
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Passengers are being urged not to fire verbal or physical ‘abuse’ at conductors on Northern trains / Credit: Northern
“We welcome millions of customers on board our trains every year and the overwhelming majority are polite, considerate, and respectful of others,” Northern said in a statement as it pleaded with passengers to show respect to train crew.
“Unfortunately, given the numbers involved, our conductors do also encounter people who are somewhat less respectful of them and the safety critical role they have onboard.
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“And that is unacceptable.”
The train operator said it “will not tolerate” hostile treatment of its staff / Credit: Northern
Back in December of last year, Northern revealed that the number of dangerous attacks on its trains was down almost 90% in the previous 12 months, with the number of recorded incidents falling from 69 to just eight.
The train operator has also said that the chance of perpetrators being caught on camera is now “much higher” than it was before too, and this comes after it added a further 600 new CCTV cameras to the more than 1,000 that monitor all its stations, and also installed 7,000 HD CCTV cameras on board the trains themselves.
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An additional £1.7 million has also been invested into adding more than 1,000 extra body-worn camera kits to its train crew.
Dozens of undercover and plain-clothed police officers, as well as Northern’s own travel safety officers, also regularly patrol services across the network.
British Transport Police has access to all footage and can use it in criminal prosecutions.
Featured Image – Northern
News
Chinatown restaurant issues CCTV appeal after customer literally RUNS away without paying
Daisy Jackson
Noodle Alley, a cosy restaurant in Chinatown, has shared CCTV footage of a customer literally running away with an unpaid bill.
The noodle bar is famed for its spicy dishes, hailing from co-owner Wendy Ren’s native Sichuan province.
It’s become a firm favourite in Manchester’s Chinatown since launching in 2023 – but the team have been left stung by a customer dine-and-dash this week.
And it’s the most literal case of a dine-and-dash we’ve ever seen, with CCTV footage shared by Noodle Alley showing the moment the customer sprints out the door, with impressive speed for a man in sliders.
The video also shows the staff chasing the runaway customer, to no avail.
In a heartfelt statement shared online, Noodle Alley said that ‘every meal matters’ when small businesses like theirs are struggling with rising costs.
They also said that the CCTV has been sent to the police in the hopes of catching the man.
In their full statement, Noodle Alley wrote: “Today, someone ran away from our restaurant without paying.
“This isn’t just about the money. Small independent businesses are already struggling with rising costs, and dealing with people who deliberately run away without paying makes it even harder.
“Every meal, every member of staff, and every genuine customer matters.
“Our team reacted immediately and tried to catch him, but he disappeared within seconds.
“We have a very clear CCTV image of the individual, and all the evidence has been passed to the relevant authorities.
“To everyone who chooses to support small independent businesses like ours, thank you. Your kindness and support help keep businesses like ours going.”
Murder investigation launched after injured woman found dead at house in Bolton
Emily Sergeant
A murder investigation has been launched following the death of a woman in Bolton.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that officers responded to reports of an assault on Yewdale Avenue in Bolton at around 3:15am yesterday morning (4 August 2026), and when they arrived on the scene, they found a woman who had ‘sustained injuries’ and was unresponsive
Despite the best efforts of emergency services, the woman – who is said to be in her 30s – was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 36-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody for questioning, police confirmed.
Police say they believe this is an ‘isolated incident’ with no wider public threat.
With a murder investigation now proceeding at pace, GMP is appealing to the public for information. They said in a statement: “We understand how troubling this news will be, and whilst formal identification has yet to take place, the believed family are being supported by specialist officers.”
“A scene will remain in place as officers continue the investigation and we will have an increased police presence in the area.
“I’d like to reassure you that this was an isolated incident that is not believed to pose a wider risk to the public, and we currently have a man in custody in relation to the incident.
“I urge anyone who may have information to support our enquiries to please come forward”.
Emily Sergeant -
16th July 2024 
