Northern is pleading with passengers not to fire verbal or physical “abuse” at conductors on its trains.
As we head into the busy summer travel season, the train operator has highlighted a number of incidents that its crew members have faced in recent years while they’ve been on duty and working to “ensure everyone reaches their destination safely”.
Now, it’s cracking down and asking the public to treat everyone working on the railway with “respect”.
Northern has admitted that while the “overwhelming majority” of people who travel on its trains are polite and respectful, this unfortunately cannot be said for everyone, as there’s sadly been a “very small minority” that has resorted to shouting, spitting, and attacking members of staff over the last couple of years.
The company said it “will not tolerate” verbal and physical abuse towards staff, and is insisting it will be quick to “take action” against anyone who threatens its employees’ safety.
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Passengers are being urged not to fire verbal or physical ‘abuse’ at conductors on Northern trains / Credit: Northern
“We welcome millions of customers on board our trains every year and the overwhelming majority are polite, considerate, and respectful of others,” Northern said in a statement as it pleaded with passengers to show respect to train crew.
“Unfortunately, given the numbers involved, our conductors do also encounter people who are somewhat less respectful of them and the safety critical role they have onboard.
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“And that is unacceptable.”
The train operator said it “will not tolerate” hostile treatment of its staff / Credit: Northern
Back in December of last year, Northern revealed that the number of dangerous attacks on its trains was down almost 90% in the previous 12 months, with the number of recorded incidents falling from 69 to just eight.
The train operator has also said that the chance of perpetrators being caught on camera is now “much higher” than it was before too, and this comes after it added a further 600 new CCTV cameras to the more than 1,000 that monitor all its stations, and also installed 7,000 HD CCTV cameras on board the trains themselves.
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An additional £1.7 million has also been invested into adding more than 1,000 extra body-worn camera kits to its train crew.
Dozens of undercover and plain-clothed police officers, as well as Northern’s own travel safety officers, also regularly patrol services across the network.
British Transport Police has access to all footage and can use it in criminal prosecutions.
Featured Image – Northern
News
Seven Manchester green spaces have been named some of the best in the UK
Emily Sergeant
A handful of green spaces in Manchester have once again been handed coveted awards and named among the best in the UK.
It may be on your radar that for several years running now, parks and cemeteries in Greater Manchester have deservingly been recipients of the prestigious Green Flag Award – which is an internationally-recognised honour given annually to the parks and cemeteries that have ‘attained a high standard of green space’.
And 2026 seems to be absolutely no different, with the region coming out on top once again.
Green Flag Awards are granted by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy each year to recognise accessible green spaces that set ‘an international benchmark for management’.
Seven Manchester green spaces have been named some of the best in the UK / Credit: Donald Judge (via Flickr) | Wikimedia Commons
Every site recognised through the scheme is assessed by experienced judges who judge the parks using eight criteria.
The criteria includes environmental management, biodiversity, landscape and heritage, community involvement, marketing and communication, and management to make sure it’s a safe and secure place for visitors of all ages.
2026 has been one of Manchester’s most successful years, as Manchester City Council has revealed this week that Blackley, Gorton, Philips Park, Manchester General, and the Southern cemeteries have all been given the Green Flag Award, as well as both Alexandra Park and Heaton Park retaining the important title too.
The awards shed light on the range of groups, volunteers, and staff who devote themselves year-round to the maintenance and upkeep of these areas.
“Come rain or shine our colleagues are out in our parks and cemeteries every day of the year, putting their time and effort into making them the internationally recognised locations they are,” commented Councillor Basat Sheikh, who is the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council.
“I’m deeply proud of their efforts and I want to dedicate the seven Green Flags we have been awarded to them.
“It’s no overstatement to say none of this would be possible without them.”
Featured Image – Stephen Taylor (via Geograph / Wikimedia Commons)
News
Government announces social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Default overnight curfews are set to be switched on for 16 and 17-year-olds on social media apps.
As the Government looks to take further action to back parents and ‘protect the next generation’ online, following the confirmation of the social media ban for under 16s earlier this year, it has now been announced that curfews will be introduced for 16 and 17-year-olds, as well as a crackdown on so-called ‘addictive features’.
This includes features that can keep users scrolling for longer – such as videos that automatically play one after another, and feeds that continually serve up personalised content.
Late-night curfews are set to run from midnight to 6am.
Late-night scrolling. Endless autoplay. Algorithms designed to keep you hooked.
We're changing that for 16 and 17-year-olds.
New protections will mean overnight social media curfews and addictive features will be switched off by default, helping young people get better sleep,… pic.twitter.com/ykWa9gjNRT
— Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (@SciTechgovuk) July 15, 2026
The new protections are said to be aiming to ‘strike a balance’ between giving older teens greater safeguards online, while still allowing them to change their own settings if they wish.
“These measures will help ensure there is no cliff edge in protections as young people move into their later teenage years,” the Government said in its announcement.
Today’s measures follow a first-of-its-kind Government pilot involving more than 300 teenagers and parents across the UK, with families reporting that overnight curfews quickly became part of their routine and helped improve sleep and concentration.
The Government has announced social media curfews for 16 and 17-year-olds / Credit: Julian Christ (via Unsplash)
“These measures will be crucial in helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more quality time with family and friends, all of which are fundamental to building a happy, healthy and fulfilling adult life,” explained Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall.
“We want young people to enjoy the benefits of technology while having the tools to make the online world a place where they can thrive.”
Alongside these protections, the Government says it will publish new guidance for children, parents, and guardians on how to use AI ‘safely and confidently’.
Media literacy skills will also be bolstered in schools to teach children how to navigate new types of technology.
Emily Sergeant -
16th July 2024 
