Ahead of the highly-anticipated opening of the Manchester Christmas Markets, Northern Rail has issued a plea to all those planning to travel on its trains during the festive season.
In case you’d forgotten, the Manchester Christmas Markets officially open today (12 November) and will be spreading festive cheer across the city centre right through until Wednesday 22 December – but as the iconic markets are known to attract millions of visitors each year, rail provider Northern is warning customers choosing to travel by train that stations and services may be much busier than usual due as a result.
The company has therefore released a statement ahead of the markets opening.
“The Christmas Markets are fantastic for Manchester and there is a genuine buzz around the city, as it’s transformed into a winter wonderland,” explained Chris Jackson, Director at Northern.
“Many visitors choose to the leave their cars at home and travel by train to enjoy all the markets have to offer [and] it’s a great way to travel to and from the city, but the additional customers mean our trains and stations are likely to be busier than normal – particularly in the evenings and at weekends.
ADVERTISEMENT
“And sadly, with alcohol often playing a large part in people’s enjoyment of the markets – coupled with the start of the Christmas party season – the festivities can be spoiled by anti-social behaviour which impacts on other customers and rail staff.”
Northern Rail has issued a plea to all those planning to travel on its trains during the festive season / Credit: Flickr
The company has also issued some updates regarding scheduled maintenance works that passengers should be aware of over the next couple of weeks.
ADVERTISEMENT
As part of the work by Northern to “keep rail customers safe this Christmas”, on Saturdays, the 21:43 train from Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke-on-Trent will operate as a ‘dry-train’ until 18 December (including on 18 December), and this means that the consumption of alcohol is not permitted on the service.
“We want to make sure all our customers have a great festive season, so I’m asking everyone to act with patience and respect,” Chris added.
“Our trains will be busy, but we’ll have extra staff on duty and all at Northern will be working round-the-clock to help people get where they need to be.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Northern customers should also be aware that Deansgate station closes at 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays during the Christmas Markets, so during this time, customers will need to use Manchester Victoria, Oxford Road, or Piccadilly stations – which are just a few minutes’ walk away.
Six GMP officers dismissed following racial discrimination allegations
Emily Sergeant
A number of police officers have been dismissed following an internal investigation, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed.
Following the internal investigation into alleged racial discrimination against an officer on the Bury district – which was launched by GMP‘s Professional Standards Directorate in July 2024 – six officers and two former officers were found to have committed gross misconduct, and a ninth officer was found to have committed misconduct.
The investigation came after a report was made that an officer had been subjected to ‘racist behaviour’ by colleagues in December 2023.
The panel heard how PC Y – who has African heritage and has been granted anonymity – made a complaint after her accent was mimicked by a group of officers. She was also compared to a suspect with similar skin colour, and one of the dismissed PCs made a derogatory comment about her hair.
PC Y was supported and kept updated throughout the investigation, GMP assured, as well as providing evidence at the hearing.
The misconduct hearing lasted just over two weeks, with the panel concluding that the officers breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour relating to Equality and Diversity, Authority, Respect, and Courtesy.
The six officers who have been dismissed are PC Demi Green, PC Heena Rani, PC Lucy Granby, PC Matthew Barlow, PC Matthew Hill, and PC Mohammed Abid, while the former officers who were found to have committed gross misconduct are PC Jake Holt, and former Officer A – who has been granted anonymity.
The panel also found that Sergeant Adrian Bick’s actions amounted to misconduct, as there was no breach of the standard of equality and diversity.
As a result, the six serving officers have been sacked without notice, while the two former officers would have been dismissed had they not already left the force, and Sergeant Bick was issued a written warning.
“No officer or member of staff should have to come to work and experience discriminatory behaviour from the people they serve alongside,” declared Deputy Chief Constable, Terry Woods.
“Everyone has the right to feel respected, valued and part of the same team with a shared commitment to serving our communities and keeping people safe.”
‘There must be a way’ – Andy Burnham vows to save Jodrell Bank after funding cuts
Emily Sergeant
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has vowed to save the UK’s largest telescope at Jodrell Bank.
In case you hadn’t heard, back in July, theUK Research and Innovation (UKRI) announced that the Jodrell Bank Observatory – which is home to the Lovell Telescope – will not be prioritised for further funding after its current agreement ends in March 2028, despite the telescope standing in its Cheshire home since 1957.
The UKRI said the decision not to continue funding priority was ‘the result of a comprehensive, evidence-based prioritisation process’.
Since the news broke, however, it has been a topic of national uproar and discussion as to how to ensure its legacy lives on.
A proud part of the University of Manchester (UoM), Jodrell Bank had a pioneering role in the development of radio astronomy, and has evidence from its emergence as a new science in the 1940s through to the present day, making it an outstanding part of scientific heritage.
The Prime Minister was pressed to address concerns surrounding the future of the site by Sarah Russell, Labour MP for Congleton, in the House of Commons yesterday (1 September 2026).
Mr Burnham replied: “Every one of my generation went on a school trip to Jodrell Bank, and there is no way that we can see its demise – it won’t happen under my Government.
“I know there’s changes that have been made in relation to research funding, but Jodrell Bank is a heritage asset for the country, as well as a research asset.
Emily Sergeant -
12th November 2021 
