Passengers are being told to “make alternative arrangements” for travel as train drivers are set to strike again this weekend.
Following on from the announcement back in February that ASLEF train drivers at several train companies and operators, with Northern being one of them, had voted ‘overwhelmingly’ to continue taking industrial action for another six months, members of the union are set to stage another strike this weekend.
Disruption, as is usually the case, is therefore also expected in the lead-up to and following the day drivers actually strike on Saturday (6 April).
Industrial action will impact train services across the country between 4-9 April.
⚠️ 4, 5 and 7, 8, 9 April – Check before you travel as services may be busier and some short notice amendments.
Three separate days of ASLEF action are set to impact different train operators on different days, but Northern is mainly warning anyone planning to travel on Saturday 6 April that it will “not be able to operate” any services across the entirety of its network on that day.
Whilst Northern services are only affected on Saturday 6 April, other train operators face walk-outs by ASLEF members on Friday 5 April and Monday 8 April too.
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Because of this, customers using the Northern network to make journeys that include connecting services on those days, as well as the days surrounding, are being advised to check all legs of their journey ahead of time.
Passengers are being told to ‘make alternative travel arrangements’ as train drivers strike again this weekend / Credit: National Rail
Northern says it’s “disappointed” ASLEF members have chosen to stage more strikes this weekend, and will continue to do so in the coming months.
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Advising passengers to “make alternative arrangements for travel” ahead of the strikes this Saturday, Tricia Williams, who is the Chief Operating Officer at Northern, said: “We are disappointed that ASLEF has chosen to call yet more strike action, and we would encourage them to work with the rail industry so we can put an end to this dispute.
“We can only apologise to customers in the meantime for the significant disruption and inconvenience this action by ASLEF will cause.”
Disruption on Northern is also expected on the days surrounding the strike day itself / Credit: Northern
When ASLEF announced its intention to continue taking industrial action for the foreseeable – which is separate to what is a very long-running dispute with the Department for Transport (DfT) over pay and working conditions – back in February, the union’s General Secretary, Mick Whelan, said he was “fed up to the back teeth with the bad faith shown” by train companies.
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He added that train operators like Northern need to “stop what they are doing” and “start to behave properly and honourably”, because their drivers are “no longer prepared to be treated like this”.
For more information on the strikes, and to see the latest travel updates for the next few days, check the Northern website here.
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Co-op Live confirms cancellations caused by part of air conditioning unit ‘falling from ceiling’
Daisy Jackson
The Co-op Live arena has confirmed the cause of tonight’s last-minute gig cancellation and subsequent postponement of future shows.
Reports said that an object had ‘fallen from the ceiling’ before doors to the public officially opened.
Co-op Live has now confirmed that ‘a component of the air conditioning system’ separated from the ductwork, and stressed that no one was injured.
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, the artist who was meant to perform tonight, had said that ‘something happened with the venue while I was at soundcheck today’.
Oak View Group, which owns the venue, said that it had ‘made the necessary call to ensure the full safety of all visitors to the venue to postpone the performance’.
Tim Leiweke, Chairman and CEO of Oak View Group said: “The safety and security of all visiting and working on Co-op Live is our utmost priority, and we could not and will not run any event until it is absolutely safe to do so.
“Today was a very unexpected situation but without a doubt the right decision.
“I deeply apologise for the impact that this has had on ticket holders and fans.”
It’s believed that the issue with the HVAC system was an isolated incident ’caused by a factory defect’.
Co-op Live said: “We were not able to verify that all similar nozzles were free of such defects.
“In conjunction with wider stakeholders, Oak View Group has made the necessary call to ensure the full safety of all visitors to the venue, and to postpone the performance.”
The rest of the nozzles inside the huge arena will now be tested for similar defects.
They said in a statement: “We understand the need to reassure fans over future shows. We are working with artist management and promoters to limit the impact on the opening season schedule.
“Where necessary, we will identify alternate dates, and will continually reassess to provide fans with sufficient notice regarding imminent shows.
“Should shows be cancelled or rescheduled, fans will be contacted by their point of purchase and offered a full refund where preferred.”
Olivia Rodrigo’s two Manchester shows at Co-op Live have been postponed
Daisy Jackson
Olivia Rodrigo’s shows at Co-op Live in Manchester have been postponed after a night of drama for the new arena.
The star was meant to bring her GUTS Tour to the city on Friday and Saturday night.
But the huge 23,500-capacity arena has now confirmed that both of these gigs will be postponed.
New dates will be announced as soon as they’re confirmed.
Co-op Live said in a statement: “Due to an on-going venue-related technical issue, the scheduled performances of Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour on 3rd and 4th May are being postponed.
“Ticket holders can either hold onto their tickets or obtain a refund from their point of purchase.
“We deeply apologise for the significant inconvenience this will cause for many.”
The massive arena was supposed to open for the first time to the public tonight with a performance by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.
Credit: Nick WalkerCredit: Larissa HofmannOlivia Rodrigo’s gigs in Manchester at Co-op Live have been postponed.
But it was called off at the eleventh hour, with fans turned away from the doors just minutes before they were meant to open.
Co-op Live has now confirmed that the reason for the cancellation was that a piece of the HVAC (air conditioning) system had ‘separated from the ductwork’.
Rigorous testing on the rest of the system now needs to take place before fans can safely be welcomed inside.
Olivia Rodrigo has yet to issue a statement about her Manchester shows on 3 and 4 May being postponed.
Emily Sergeant -
4th April 2024 
