Motorists are being told to expect a surge in traffic on roads across the UK this week as a result of the biggest national rail strike in decades.
The AA has today issued a warning to all drivers that they are likely to face long queues as most railway lines will be closed during the industrial strike action on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday as workers take part in what is the biggest walkout in the industry for more than 30 years in a row over pay, jobs, and conditions.
It’s believed that the worst-affected roads are likely to be main motorway arteries, according to the AA, as well as rural and suburban areas.
Scotland and Wales are expected to be the worst hit out of the nations, with the M74, M8 and A9 in Scotland predicted to see severe traffic, and the M4, A55, A5, and A483 in Wales also affected, according to the AA.
Even through the rail strikes are only set for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, delays and cancellations also look likely on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday too.
Many commuters are therefore expected to “give up on trains for the whole week”.
RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said an impact on the roads was “inevitable”, and the walkouts mean it’s little wonder so many Brits are dependent on their vehicles.
He added: “Major city routes as well as those serving the home counties are likely to see some of the biggest increases in traffic volumes as, even if rail lines are still open, there will be significantly fewer trains running.”
The RMT Union officially confirmed earlier this month that over 50,000 railway workers will walk out on 21, 23 and 25 June due to what is said to be the “inability of the rail employers to come to a negotiated settlement” with RMT.
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It comes after 71% of RMT 40,000 members took part in a vote, with 89% voting in favour of strike action and only 11% voting against it.
The RMT Union said the strike action is because Network Rail and the train operating companies have subjected their staff to multiyear pay freezes, and plan to cut thousands of jobs – which will make the railways “unsafe”.
Over 50,000 railway workers will walk out on 21, 23 and 25 June / Credit: Network Rail
Members of the RMT Union at Network Rail and 13 train operators – including Northern and Avanti West Coast – will subsequently strike this week, with only around one in five trains expected to be running.
Last-minute talks between unions and rail bosses will continue today.
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But it’s been revealed that no government representative will be there for the negotiations, and union leaders have accused the government of “abjectly failing” in their responsibilities and “inflaming tensions” over the rail dispute.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The government has the power to help end this dispute but rather than working in good faith to find a negotiated settlement, ministers are inflaming tensions and trying to pitch worker against worker… [when they] should be getting people around the table to help agree a fair deal.”
She said nobody takes strike action lightly, but insisted that rail staff have been left with “no other option”.
A special timetable will operate in England, Wales and Scotland from Monday 20 to Sunday 26 June inclusive.
The timetable – published on Friday – will aim to offer the best service possible despite industrial action planned next week by the RMT union:
“Many rail staff who will be hit hardest, such as caterers and cleaners, are on low and average earnings [and] it’s insulting to ask them to take yet another real-terms pay cut when rail companies took £500 million in profits during the pandemic,” she continued.
“If these cuts go ahead, thousands of safety-critical and frontline jobs will be lost.
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“We need a better vision for the future of rail than commuters packed on unsafe trains like sardines.”
Trafford Centre announces opening hours for 2025/26 festive season – including Boxing Day
Emily Sergeant
Trafford Centre has published its full list of opening hours for this current festive season.
We all know that the Christmas period is one of the busiest times of the year for the retail industry, with people flocking to the shops in their millions to snap up festive gifts for their loved ones, and it only gets busier from Boxing Day onwards too when all the sales launch, offering shoppers some unmissable deals and bargains.
And nowhere in Greater Manchester gets busier during the festive season than the Trafford Centre. After all, with more than 200 stores all under one room, it’s not hard to see why.
This year, shoppers can make the most of extended opening hours at the Trafford Centre right through to New Year’s Day – with late night shopping until 11pm on selected dates in December leading up to the big day.
Alongside being a one-stop-shop for gifts, there’s also dozens of festive events and new Christmas lights to enjoy at the Trafford Centre too, so visitors can tick everything off their list and have a great day out while they’re at it.
The shopping centre will be open from 9am – 5pm on Christmas Eve, so you can whip round and grab any last-minute presents, before it’s closed fully on Christmas Day, and then opens again bright and early at 8am on Boxing Day.
Trafford Centre Christmas Opening Hours 2025/26
18 and 19 December: 10am – 11pm
20 December: 10am – 10pm
21 December: 12pm – 6pm
22 and 23 December: 10am – 11pm
Christmas: 9am – 5pm
Christmas Day: Closed
26 December: 8am – 8pm (some stores may be closed, please check with individual brands)
27 December: 10am – 9pm
28 December: 12pm – 6pm
29 and 30 December: 10pm – 10pm
New Year’s Eve: 9am – 5pm
New Year’s Day: 12pm – 6pm
It’s also worth noting, however, that not every store inside the Trafford Centre will be open on Boxing Day, so you’ll need to check with individual brands ahead of time.
For the restaurants, stores, and leisure venues that are open, you can check their specific trading hours on the Trafford Centre website here.
When it comes to festive event, The Grotto is open until Christmas Eve for pre-bookings only, and the Christmas fairground and ice rink, Big Wheel, and Gandeys Snowstorm Firebird show are all open until 4 January (closed Christmas Day).
Featured Image – Trafford Centre (Supplied)
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Greater Manchester’s ‘clean taxi’ plans backed by government funding
Danny Jones
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) ‘clean taxi’ initiative has been officially backed by the UK government, with an extra boost coming from a leading electric vehicle brand.
Millions of pounds are set to be pumped into the scheme over the coming years as the North West at large strives to become greener.
The Mayor himself, Andy Burnham, has made environmentally conscious travel a core part of his plans for the city region ever since he took up the post back in 2017; now he and his team are helping link up with connections in the capital to secure further investment.
With the new £8 million Hackney Support Fund being put into action as we speak, a further £2m is now set to go towards Manchester city centre and its surrounding boroughs via LEVC.
LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) have done away with classic petrol and diesel engines in their particular corner of the automotive industry, setting a more eco-friendly example for metropolitan cities up and down Great Britain.
As a result, Manchester City Council and the GMCA as a whole are looking to take a leaf out of their book as part of their wider carbon reduction targets, with local authorities having recently reaffirmed their five-year ‘climate change action plan’.
For context, the Hackney Support Fund in question is a series of government-backed grants aimed at helping taxi drivers replace older black cabs with more modern, zero-emission capable vehicles.
Not only that, but LEVC will also be offering licensed carriage drivers extended warranties on new and used TX cabs – like their new ‘eCity powetrain’ pictured above – as well as taxi scrappage allowance on other models.
Like any part of the country, our region itself has its own clean air goals, and with the continued expansion of the Bee Network continuing to advance that progress, we’re heading in the right direction.
It goes without saying that adding a fully-fledged fleet of cleaner, more energy-efficient EV taxis into that mix could help benefit these greener pursuits.
Managing Director at LEVC, Chris Allen, noted that the company has “helped the capital achieve legal air quality targets for the first time” and strongly believes that they can do the same up North.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Our taxi trade is a vital part of Greater Manchester’s transport network and supports the local economy.
“That’s why we’re working hard to secure funding and practical support to help drivers upgrade to cleaner, greener vehicles – improving air quality for everyone, while protecting livelihoods. By backing our taxi trade, we’re building a fairer, healthier city-region for all.”
Emily Sergeant -
20th June 2022 
