Northern Trains Ltd

[wirralbus]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(20/06/2020 08:31)knutstransport Wrote:  Overall Northern are operating a very low proportion of services compared to other operators. On some routes it's currently just 25% of peak time services that are operating. Many routes are getting a full Sunday service so that helps improve Northern's average figure.

There's various scenarios they should prepare for - one being that the 2m rule changes, another being that their services will need to carry a significant number of school pupils from Sep and that they'll be social distancing measures still in place (even if it's not everyone everyday.)

Another difficulty is how return to office will work - the government guidance suggests some working from home should remain but also recognises that everyone working from home every day has negative implications. In somewhere like Wilmslow where you have a few major employers each employing hundreds (the ICO, Royal London, Waters Corp) that will probably mean the number of commuters travelling each day will be fairly consistent. In other towns where you might have no very big companies but a significant number of smaller businesses that might mean they'll be almost normal loadings on certain days of the week. Smaller businesses may also find it more difficult to introduce flexible working for those who have to travel by train e.g. if business hours are 08:30-5 then they won't want their one receptionist working 10-7.

It does sound like units that have been stood down due to low use may well need to be readied for service in the coming weeks .
Northern will have been unit very recently been able to balance mileage on units so no one unit will have had excessive use , that time will be coming to an end with any possible relaxation of what can be opened and even the potential social distancing of 1 metre coming in .