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Passengers told to only travel ‘if necessary’ as rail workers strike nationwide

Network Rail said all train operators may be affected, whether they are part of the dispute or not.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 27th July 2022

Passengers are once again being told to plan ahead and only travel “if necessary” as rail workers strike nationwide today.

Network Rail is warning all those intending on travelling by train that services will be “severely disrupted” on Wednesday as a result of another national strike called by the leadership of the RMT Union, and while it has confirmed that thousands of specially-trained back-up staff will step in during the one-day walkout, only a fifth of services will be running on around half of the network.

Passengers are asked to only travel by train “if they must”, allow extra time for journeys, and check when their last train will depart, Network Rail advises.

Over 40,000 rail workers are to walk out for 24-hours.

After talks failed to resolve a dispute over pay, jobs, and conditions, members of the RMT Union and Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) at Network Rail and 14 other regional rail operators are to take industrial action – with Northern, TransPennine Express, and Avanti West Coast all confirmed to take part.

Network Rail said all operators may be affected, whether they are part of the dispute or not.

People are also being told that they should expect disruption on the morning of Thursday 28 July too, with a later start to services as employees return to duties.

“The train operating companies remain stubborn and are refusing to make any new offer which deals with job security and pay,” said Mick Lynch – General Secretary at RMT Union.

“Strike action is the only course open to us to make both the rail industry and government understand that this dispute will continue for as long as it takes, until we get a negotiated settlement.

“The public who will be inconvenienced by our strike action need to understand that it is the government’s shackling of Network Rail and the TOCs that means the rail network will be shut down for 24 hours.”

Read more: Railway workers vote overwhelmingly in favour of ‘biggest strike’ in decades

Andrew Haines – Chief Executive at Network Rail – said: “Despite our best efforts to find a breakthrough, I’m afraid there will be more disruption for passengers as the RMT seems hell-bent on continuing their political campaigning, rather than compromising and agreeing a deal for their members.”

“It is frustrating to yet again ask our passengers to change their plans and only make essential journeys,” he added.

Over 40,000 rail workers are to walk out for 24-hours nationwide on Wednesday / Credit: Network Rail

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport (DfT) also said in response: “The rail industry has to modernise and be brought into the 21st century for the benefit of passengers and staff [and] we’re extremely disappointed to see that instead of staying at the table, RMT executives have chosen to walk away once more.

“We continue to encourage RMT to do the right thing by their members and passengers alike and call off the strikes.”

Find out more about planned industrial action on the National Rail website.

Featured Image – Network Rail

News

Heartbreaking tributes are being paid after 23-year-old hit by car in Stockport dies from injuries

Danny Jones Danny Jones Joel Sheldon death Bredbury Stockport death tributes

Tributes are pouring in on social media following the death of a local young man from Bredbury, Stockport, who was tragically hit by a car last weekend.

Joel Corey Sheldon, who was just 23, sadly died on Saturday, 21 June, after being struck by a vehicle on the previous Friday night at around 10:20pm.

The Stopfordian was rushed to the hospital immediately, but was later pronounced dead from his injuries despite the best efforts of the paramedics and emergency services. He is survived by his parents, Gaz and Cheryl, as well as two brothers, Leo and Harvey.

Following the news of his passing, family members, friends and countless others throughout the Bredbury community and beyond have been paying their respects to what was, by all accounts, a “fun-loving popular young man.”

In a heartfelt tribute issued on Tuesday afternoon (24 Jun), Joel’s family wrote: “Our beautiful son Joel was caring, kind, and loved by everyone who knew him.

“He smiled constantly and loved life. His energy was infectious, and the outpouring of love for him has made us so immensely proud. We will love him and miss him for the rest of our lives.”

Writing on Facebook, the youngster’s godfather, Martin Smith, added: “RIP Joel Sheldon, I was so proud to be your godfather and part of your life. I’ll miss our chats.

“Even when you were gaming back in the day, you always were so polite to me. I love you, and the amount of broken hearts shows what a beautiful young man you were…”

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) say they received reports of a collision involving a Vauxhall Corsa and a pedestrian on Lower Bents Lane, close to The Greyhound Pub, with the car being seen heading in the direction of Redhouse Lane when the collision occurred. No suspects have been identified thus far.

A fundraising page has now been set up in Joel’s memory, with people donating to help cover the cost of his funeral and ‘any additional costs incurred by the family.’

Set up by fellow Bredbury native and family friend, Eleanor Moore, the description of the page reads: “The Sheldons are very much at the heart of the Bredbury community, and we would like to take away the financial strain at this difficult time.” Over £23,000 has been raised already.

Nearby pub, The Queens – located further up the same road on which he was unfortunately hit – also posted the GoFundMe link and has been sharing official updates from GMP, as have a number of other local businesses and organisations.

As for the latest from the authorities, police are appealing for more information, urging anyone with any more details regarding the incident, no matter how small, to come forward as soon as possible.

This includes Bredbury locals, eyewitnesses in the area at the time; dashcam and/or doorbell camera footage that may have captured images of the car or its driver, and any other information which might be useful in the investigation of Joel Sheldon’s death.

If you have information, you can contact Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 101 quoting log 4082 of 20/06/25, or do so online right HERE.

Our thoughts go out to Joel’s friends and family, along with all those whose lives he touched, during this extremely difficult time. Rest in peace.

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Featured Images — Family Handouts/GMP

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Home testing kits will be sent out those who never or rarely attend cervical screenings

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant At-home smear test

People with a cervix who have never or rarely attend appointments are be offered home-testing kits as part of the cervical screening programme.

The Government‘s groundbreaking initiative, which comes under the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan, aims to revolutionise cervical cancer prevention rates by tackling what are described as ‘deeply-entrenched barriers’ keeping some away from potentially life-saving screenings – including a fear of discomfort, embarrassment, cultural sensitivities, and even the struggle to find time for medical appointments.  

Participation in cervical cancer screening currently sits at just 68.8%, according to the Department of Health, which is well below NHS England’s target of 80%.

This therefore means that more than five million women in England are not up to date with their routine check-up.

Women who have rarely or have never attended their cervical screening will now be offered a self-sample kit to complete at home by the NHS.

The self-testing kits – which detect human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of viruses that can lead to cervical cancer – will allow women to carry out the testing procedure in the privacy and convenience of their own homes.  

The kits will be sent out in discreet packaging, and can be returned via pre-paid mail.

Anyone who may test positive for HPV through self-sampling will then be encouraged to attend a follow-up cervical screening test with a clinician to check for cervical cell changes. 

Experts believe this new targeted approach could increase participation in the screening programme and ultimately save more than 5,000 lives each year.

“These self-sampling kits represent healthcare that works around people’s lives, not the other way around,” commented Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting.

“They put women firmly in control of their own health, ensuring we catch more cancers at their earliest, most treatable stages.

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“We know the earlier cancer is diagnosed the better the chances are of survival. By making screening more convenient, we’re tackling the barriers that keep millions of women from potentially life-saving tests.”

Michelle Kane, who is the NHS’s Director of Screening, added: “There are a number of reasons that stop some women taking up the offer of screening and we hope the introduction of self-testing will encourage more women to take up this life-saving test in a way that works for them.”

Featured Image – Cancer Research UK

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