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Manchester Airport trains cancelled more than any other UK airport during Christmas season

Not ideal when you're trying to jet off.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 10th December 2024

Manchester Airport sees more trains cancelled during the Christmas season than any other UK airport, a new study has revealed.

We’re certainly no stranger to a train cancellation or prolonged delay here in the North West, and train services to and from our region’s airport – which is the third busiest airport in the UK, and the largest outside of London – tend to be among the most cancelled of them.

But now, a new study by Arriva has found that Manchester Airport trains are as unreliable as we think… in fact, the most unreliable in the country.

As Christmas fast approaches, many people will be set to make some important journeys to visit family abroad, or to just escape cold weather, but due to transport prices increasing and regular cancellations occurring, it’s been found that more than half (51%) of Brits suffer from travel nerves, which is why knowing the most effective route to your nearest major airport matters.

Transport company Arriva has conducted a new study revealing the most efficient and cost-effective airport transport method this December for the five largest airports in the UK.

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A new study has found that trains to Manchester Airport are cancelled more than any other UK airport during the Christmas season / Credit: Ivan Shimko (via Unsplash)

And you can probably guess the train isn’t one of them.

According to the study, Manchester Airport experienced a total of 626 train cancellations last December in 2023, with Northern Rail services accounting for the majority of them with 492 services failing to turn up – making our region’s airport number one on the list nationwide.

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5pm to 9pm was also found to be the worst time to travel by train to Manchester Airport during the last festive season, with 169 cancellations. 

Top 5 UK airports with the most Christmas train cancellations

  1. Manchester Airport – 626
  2. Heathrow Airport – 220
  3. Luton Airport – 135
  4. London Stansted Airport – 76
  5. Gatwick Airport – 18

Heathrow Airport follows in second place with 220 cancellations in December 2023, while Luton Airport ranks in third with 135 cancellations, and the 6am to 11am timeframe found to be the worst time to travel with 39 cancellations.  

While travelling to the airport is often dictated by the time of your flight, this new research has also ranked the best and worst times of day to travel, depending on the number of train cancellations.  

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It was found that midday between 11am and 2pm was the best time to travel, with only 167 cancellations in comparison to the 245 cancellations experienced between 5-9pm which is the worst.

Featured Image – Northern

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You can now receive the UK’s ‘first-ever’ same-day sperm MOT for free right here in Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones sperm tests Manchester

For any bloke who’s ever wondered about their fertility and considering grabbing a quick test, you can now get what’s being called a quick sperm ‘MOT’ right here in Manchester – and it’s free.

As well as the obvious importance of regular sexual health checks, many people understandably worry about their virility as they get older and there’s no harm in just giving yourself that piece of mind.

That’s why one Manchester-based sperm and egg bank is expanding its already wide range of services to offer quick and easy tests to locals.

We’re all adults here: if your car’s MOT is considered an essential check, then why not take a little look under the hood to see how your little swimmers are getting on?

cryos international manchester
sperm analysis manchester
Credit: Cryos International (supplied)

Cryos International, located over at Rutherford House on Manchester Science Park, is a quick and confidential clinic that specialises in sexual wellness and reproductive health.

The industry-leading sperm and egg bank remains at the forefront when it comes to various different areas of the sector but now they’re taking one field even further by offering men aged 18-45 an unprecedented level of service.

While sperm tests and egg checks are nothing new, Cryos are the UK clinic to offer rapid detailed analysis that will see your results returned to you the same day.

Better yet, this initiative is completely free of charge and provides a non-diagnostic assessment of key sperm quality criteria, including sperm count and how effectively the sperm moves.

It’s part of Cryos’ commitment to demystifying male reproductive health and demonstrating how lifestyle factors can impact male fertility, while at the same time breaking the stigma around sperm donation, and helping more people on their journey to parenthood. 

The launch comes at a time of unprecedented demand for fertility services in the UK, with births from sperm donation tripling since the turn of the millennium.

sperm tests manchester
sperm checks manchester
Credit: Cryos International

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Sadly, donor numbers here in Britain have hit an all-time low and similar struggles are being seen all over Europe even despite the growing population.

To combat this, the UK government has actually increased its standard compensation fee by £10 as of October 2024, rising to £45 a pop.

Of course, your sperm needs to be in good health before you can donate, not to the obvious benefits for couples trying to conceive and, as lab Manager Samantha Duffy-Olive explains, even “simple lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on sperm quality.”

With that in mind, Manc males are being encouraged to make the most of this free semen test and in addition to the analysis service, they will also offer helpful advice that could make a real difference to improve your reproductive health. You can book HERE.

This isn’t the first time we’ve clocked Cryos pioneering the sperm donation and sexual health space…

Inside the UK’s newest sperm bank where you’re given a VR headset to help things along
The Manchester clinic is offering much more than just a free sperm test.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Cryos International Sperm & Egg Bank (supplied)

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Manchester named one of the UK’s most congested cities with the ‘worst traffic’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Manchester has got itself a new title… but this isn’t one worth shouting about.

You may remember that recently, Manchester and the neighbouring boroughs have found themselves on some pretty coveted UK-wide lists, most-notably with the city being ranked one of the UK’s most ‘most desired’ places to live and one of the top cities in the world to visit, so we’ve definitely got a lot to be proud of.

But it’s swings and roundabouts, as with all those impressive titles comes a less-than-impressive one, as the city has also been named one of the top 10 most congested cities with the worst traffic in the UK.

According to a new study conducted by the RAC, using data from INRIX, it was found that Manchester ranked number four on the list, as motorists lost a total of 61 hours stuck in traffic over the course of 2024 – which was estimated to cost them around £570 extra.

Manchester has been named one of the UK’s most congested cities / Credit: Manchester City Council (via Facebook)

Manchester wasn’t the only northern city on the list either, as Leeds and Sheffield also feature in the top 10, alongside the surprising addition of the lively Greater Manchester town of Wigan.

Yes, that’s right – it may not technically be a city, but for some reason, Wigan has also found itself featured on the list of UK’s most congested cities, as the study found that motorists there wasted an average of 57 hours stuck in traffic in 2024, and sadly had to part with an extra £532 because of it.

The UK’s most congested cities

  1. London
  2. Bristol
  3. Leeds
  4. Manchester
  5. Bath
  6. Birmingham
  7. Wigan
  8. Chelmsford
  9. Sheffield

When it comes to the top spot on the list, that of course goes to London.

London’s drivers lost 101 hours sitting in congestion in 2024, which was a 2% increase in delays from the previous 12 months, and this means that the capital also accounts for approximately 50% of all UK traffic delay.

Looking nationally as a whole, the data also revealed that the country lost approximately £7.7 billion in 2024, which is £200 million more than in 2023.

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The average UK driver lost around 62 hours due to traffic congestion last year, according to the study, which is up only one hour from the previous 12-month period, and this works out to £581 per driver per year.

Featured Image – Nabeel Syed (via Unsplash)

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