ASLEF train drivers at Northern have voted “overwhelmingly” to continue taking strike action for another six months.
The union announced the results of the vote yesterday, alongside the dates for a fresh round of strikes and overtime bans – with the next strike set to take place at the start of next month on the Northern network, as well as LNER.
ASLEF members at Northern will take strike action on Friday 1 March for “a failure by the company to adhere to existing agreements”, according to the union, and on top of this, will also take action short of a strike – which is also known as an ‘overtime ban’ – on the network from Thursday 29 February to Saturday 2 March.
Travel disruption is expected all across the North and the rest of the UK during this time – including here in Greater Manchester.
Members of the ASLEF union will stage a series of strikes at the end of this month / Credit: National Rail
This particular industrial action being taken by ASLEF members is separate to what is a very long-running dispute with the Department for Transport (DfT) over pay and working conditions.
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With mandates for industrial action only lasting six months at a time, due to what ASLEF has referred to as the Conservative Government’s “anti-union legislation”, this was what led the union to having to reballot its members.
93.9% of ASELF members at Northern voted ‘yes’ to continuing strike action, with 96.6% also voting ‘yes’ to action short of strike.
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The overall ballot turnout for Northern Trains was 76.7%.
We have announced strikes and an overtime ban at two train companies – LNER and Northern – for their persistent failure to comply with existing agreements – read more: https://t.co/47wz9CyVdT
“We are fed up to the back teeth with the bad faith shown, day after day, week after week, and month after month by these two companies,” commented ASLEF’s General Secretary, Mick Whelan, as the ballot votes were released and fresh strike dates confirmed.
‘We always stick to agreements which we make. These companies think they can break agreements – which they freely enter into – whenever it suits them. And they’re wrong.
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“This is a shot across their bows and a sign of things to come.
“They need to stop what they are doing, start to behave properly and honourably, because their drivers are no longer prepared to be treated like this.”
Featured Image – Northern
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Drivers warned of ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter
Emily Sergeant
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ on the roads that could seem them hit with hefty fines as winter rolls around.
Once the temperatures drop, and the days get shorter and darker, fog tends to become a more common weather occurrence around this time of year – but an eye-opening new survey has found that most drivers don’t really how to use their fog lights correctly.
According to guidance from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), fog lights should only be used on British roads when visibility drops below 100 metres, yet the new research by eBay has found that 60% of drivers use their fog lights at the wrong times, and what’s more is that one in 10 say they switch on their fog lights when visibility is less than 300 metres.
48% of drivers who took part in the research admitted that they activate full-beam headlights when it’s dark, regardless of oncoming traffic and other road users.
Drivers are being warned of a ‘bad habit’ that could land them with £1,000 fines this winter / Credit: Nabeel Syed (via Unsplash)
The RAC says these stats reveal a ‘worrying trend’ among motorists, and have warned that these habits could actually means drivers are risking fines of up to £1,000 and three penalty points on their licence.
If the incorrect usage of fog lights wasn’t bad enough as it is, the new research also found that many Brits say they do not stay on-top of regular car maintenance when it comes to car fog lights, either – with just 15% saying they check them every month, and shockingly, 24% stating they’ve never checked them before.
Due to the ongoing issue of headlight glare, in whatever form that may be, The RAC has found that as many as one in four drivers (25%) who find headlights ‘too bright’ are actually driving less as a result.
“Unfortunately for a lot of drivers, the annual onset of darker evenings coincides with another unwelcome arrival – that of overly-bright headlights that they believe make driving more difficult due to dazzle and discomfort,” explained Rod Dennis, who is the Senior Policy Officer at the RAC.
“While most of us have no choice other than to adapt to driving at night more often as the clocks go back, the fact headlight glare is the leading cause of nervousness underlines it’s a problem that needs tackling.
“At the same time, it’s important to remember that brighter headlights can give drivers a better view of the road ahead, so there’s a balance to be struck.”
Featured Image – Robin the Bird (via Unsplash)
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Police investigation underway following ‘shocking’ arson at Marple Cenotaph on Bonfire Night
Emily Sergeant
A public appeal for information has been issued after a fire was started near a war memorial in Stockport on Bonfire Night.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is currently investigating after officers were called out around 9:50pm on Bonfire Night (Wednesday 5 November) following reports of a group of males near to the Cenotaph in Marple.
When police arrived at the scene, they found that a fire had been started in a bin and wooden pallets had been set alight – with the ground nearby having been damaged.
Neighbourhood officers in Marple are now investigating and are appealing for information in relation to this incident.
The incident has been described as a reckless act that could have ended with more damage and even serious injury.
“The Cenotaph means a lot to the community and incidents like this are deeply upsetting, particularly at a time when we should be honouring the memory of our war veterans,” explained Sergeant Rachel Walton, of GMP’s Stockport East Neighbourhood Policing Team.
“We are working closely with partners at Stockport Council and the fire service to ensure the area is cleaned and restored.
“We want to identify the individuals responsible, and we will have extra high-visibility patrols in the park each evening leading up to the Remembrance Day service on Sunday (9 November).”
This incident is just one of a total of 350 calls related to fire or fireworks that GMP responded to on Bonfire Night, which is said to be an increase from 203 last year.
A total of 27 arrests were made across Greater Manchester, with four weapons and hundreds of fireworks seized.
Emily Sergeant -
15th February 2024 
