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Now TransPennine Express is slashing its train timetable too, citing staff shortages

The temporary timetable will be in place 'until further notice'

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 6th September 2022

TransPennine Express is the latest rail operator to announce it will be temporarily reducing its timetable, following in the tracks of Avanti West Coast.

‘Higher-than-normal sickness levels’ and ongoing industrial action have been blamed for the reduction in train services.

A temporary timetable will come into place from Monday 12 September, until further notice, which TransPennine Express hopes will provide ‘a more stable and reliable service’.

Nine services will be cut altogether and eight more will be partially reduced, including some trains running from Manchester Airport.

Services affected will be those that run between Manchester/Liverpool and Edinburgh/Glasgow, via Preston and Carlisle.

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Credit: TransPennine Express

TransPennine Express said: “The changes are being made to provide a more stable and reliable service following recent disruption caused by a range of issues including sustained high levels of sickness and a training backlog as a direct result of Covid.

“Combined, these factors have seen a number of on-the-day or ‘evening before’ cancellations being made.

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“Such cancellations are expected to be significantly reduced under this temporary amended timetable.”

Read more: 1,000 Northern commuters to be ‘rewarded’ with free train journeys to work

Jerry Farquharson, Service Planning & Performance Director at TransPennine Express, said: “Our customers want reliable and punctual train services, and we are sorry that we have not been able to provide that due to the ongoing issues. 

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“In normal circumstances, we have enough people to fully operate our scheduled timetable, however the combination of factors has put unprecedented pressure on our ability to operate a consistent service.

“This temporary amended timetable for our services between the North West of England and Scotland will help us provide more stability and certainty for customers travelling on this route.

“We have put in place measures to communicate this revised timetable to any affected customers and believe that by bringing this timetable in, we will help customers have more confidence and certainty in the delivery of our services.”

Featured image: TransPennine Express

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One of Manchester’s largest hotels has reopened after an ‘extensive’ £33m renovation

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

One of the largest hotels in Manchester city centre has now reopened its doors to the public following an “extensive” £33 million renovation.

A new chapter is officially underway for Manchester‘s Marriott Hotel in Piccadilly.

Conveniently located next to Manchester Piccadilly train station, and what is a world-class and ever-popular urban neighbourhood in Mayfield, the Piccadilly Marriott hotel is the second Marriott hotel in the city centre, and following its wide-scale refurbishment, the new premises now offers “a contemporary destination for travellers“.

A stunning bistro-style restaurant and bar, a large function room, 11 meeting rooms, a 24/7 ‘MClub’ lounge, a state-of-the-art gym, and an Elemis spa with six treatment rooms and a thermal suite, can all be found inside the new hotel.

Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly has now reopened following a £33m refurbishment / Credit: Supplied

Known as the largest four-star hotel in the city centre, Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly boasts 338 “generous” bedrooms spread across eight floors with “unparalleled comfort” and interior design that gives a nod to the neighbourhood’s industrial and music heritage.

The biggest standard-sized rooms in Manchester, 16 ‘Panoramic Suites’, and a selection of family rooms, are just some of the accommodation options the hotel now offers.

As well as the rooms, Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly is also considered to be one of the best hotels in the city for both corporate and social events, with meeting rooms, function rooms, and more all on site, and now, thanks to the recent renovations, these refurbished spaces all include the latest in digital screen technology, audio-visual equipment, high-speed WiFi, and air conditioning.

The 338-room hotel is now one of the largest in Manchester city centre following the “extensive refurbishment” / Credit: Supplied

The new hotel is also home to Manchester’s only Marriott brand exclusive, MClub Lounge – which is a unique club lounge space designed to be the perfect place to relax, socialise, or meet for business.

The hotel’s stunning new spa is also described as being a “haven of wellness”, as it boasts six treatment rooms in partnership with award-winning British skincare brand, Elemis.

The stunning new premises now offers “a contemporary destination for travellers” / Credit: Supplied

Speaking as the new hotel opens its doors this week, Stephen Rycroft, who is the General Manager of Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly, commented: “We are excited to be part of this launch, bringing the flagship Marriott brand to this grand hotel, as it’s grand in both innovative design and size, making it the largest hotel in Manchester city centre.

“Our team is committed to providing exceptional experiences for both business and leisure guests alike.”

Read more:

Prices for rooms at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly start from just £129 per night, and you can find out more and book online here.

Featured Image – Supplied

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Eight arrested and £20k cash seized during early-morning police drug raids in Rochdale

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Police have seized £20,000 cash and a large quantity of drugs during early-morning drug raids in Rochdale this week.

Eight people have also been arrested, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed.

The significant seizes and arrests come after detectives from GMP’s Serious Organised Crime Group executed 11 warrants at addresses across Rochdale and Lancashire yesterday morning (17 April), that were believed to be connected to a large-scale drugs conspiracy.

As well as raiding a number of residential properties, several warrants were also executed at premises that police believed to be ‘stash houses’.

A search of all premises raided lead to several mobile phones, quantities of cocaine, and cannabis plants all being seized, as well as an estimated £20,000 in cash.

Eight people have been arrested and £20k cash has been seized during early-morning police raids in Rochdale / Credit: GMP

Following the raids, a total of eight people, who are between the ages of 27 and 56, have all been arrested on conspiracy to supply drugs, it has been confirmed, and they currently remain in police custody for questioning.

These are the latest arrests in what is part of GMP’s ongoing investigations into the criminal use of encrypted mobile phones.

Back in 2020, as a result of the NCA take down of Encrochat – which is the encrypted messaging platform once used by criminals across the globe – GMP was handed hundreds and thousands of messages from the once-secure platform, and it gave detectives “insight into the criminal underworld which had never been seen before”.

Over the last few years, GMP says it has been “systematically” working its way through these messages to attribute them to criminals across Greater Manchester and the North West.

“We have seen great huge successes to date,” GMP has admitted.

Speaking following the early-morning raids in Rochdale and Lancashire yesterday, Detective Sergeant Rich McCorry, from GMP’s Serious Organised Crime Group, said in a statement: “The ability for criminals to benefit from the proceeds of drugs is a key driver for organised crime, and we have specialist detectives working tirelessly to eliminate the key players from criminal networks across the region.

“[Yesterday’s] action is a result of months of hard work by detectives, whose proactive investigations into the drugs trade in Manchester has led them through these doors today.

Read more:

“We will continue to employ every possible tactic to target and disrupt organised crime groups, and ensure they are brought to justice.”

Featured Image – GMP

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