May Bank Holiday Weekend: Major disruption to TransPennine Express services this weekend

There will be ‘major disruption’ this bank holiday weekend for TransPennine Express (TPE) train users, with the rail operator urging people to avoid travelling unless they really have to.

Ahead of strike action by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), TPE say they will only be running a very small number of services on both Saturday 30 April and Sunday 1 May.

Network Rail will also be carrying out major engineering work across the weekend, including on bank holiday Monday, which will mean fewer trains and some bus replacements will be in place.

On the West Coast Mainline, upgrades between Carlisle and Edinburgh/Glasgow will be taking place between Saturday and bank holiday Monday, as well as work between Oxenholme and Edinburgh/Glasgow on Sunday and a replacement bus service will be in operation for those who are making essential journeys.

Kathryn O’Brien, Customer Experience Director for TransPennine Express, said: “With further action by RMT taking this weekend, we are urging customers once again to avoid travel on our services and travel either side of the weekend instead.

“We are saddened and disappointed that this disruption will mean that we are unable to get our customers to where they want to be this bank holiday weekend.”

Strikes by RMT are planned to take place on Sundays up to and including June 5, and on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 June.

Further information about the disruption, including the services TPE is planning to operate this bank holiday weekend can be found at: tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates/strike