NORTHERN has urged customers travelling during the August bank holiday weekend to "plan ahead" and avoid busy times.

Trains are expected to be very busy between Friday, August 27 and Monday, August 30 with several high-profile events, sporting fixtures and ongoing issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Manchester Pride, Creamfields, Leeds Festival, cricket at Headingley, racing at Cartmel, a full football programme and late summer sunshine are expected to bring an increased footfall to train services across the region.

In addition, engineering work between Manchester and Stoke (via Macclesfield), and Liverpool and Manchester (via Warrington Central), will see trains replaced by buses, meaning longer travel times on those routes.

Buses will replace trains between Sheffield and Lincoln and on some services between Sheffield and York on Sunday.

Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern, said: "We’re doing all we can to prepare for the weekend and are putting on as many carriages and services as possible to get our customers where they need – and want – to be.

“We’re also asking our customers to plan ahead, expect services to be busy, allow extra time for journeys and, where possible, to avoid travelling during the busiest times.”

Northern will be continuing enhanced cleaning at its stations and on-board its trains throughout the weekend.

Northern has more than 600 dedicated cleaning staff working on trains and at stations with a particular focus on touch points - tables, buttons, and toilets.

The operator is asking customers to be considerate of others and, if able, to continue wearing face coverings on trains and at stations.

For full details of Northern’s timetables visit northernrailway.co.uk or nationalrail.co.uk