Northern appeals to Christmas party revellers to treat traincrew and station staff with respect

NORTHERN has appealed to Christmas party revellers to treat their traincrew and station staff with respect as part of a new campaign against anti-social behaviour.

So far this year, there have been 182 public order offences committed against Northern staff.

Since 2021, the total figure stands at 745 offences, of which 73 led to a conviction in Court.

It was in 2021 that Northern introduced the use of body worn cameras for its staff.

The cameras, which can be worn by both Traincrew and Station staff, do not record all the time, but instead are used to capture specific incidents as evidence for British Transport Police.

The high quality footage is suitable for use in criminal cases and has proved useful in securing convictions in Court.

The introduction of body-worn cameras was part of Northern's work to modernise its network and deliver safer journeys for its customers.

The train operator says this latest figure (182 offences) represents a 15% year-on-year reduction in the number of crimes committed against its staff (2024 versus 2023, when the number of offences was 215), but that each and every case is unacceptable.

Matt Rice, Chief Operating Officer for Northern, said:- "Whilst a reduction in the number of incidents is welcome; the fact that there have been 182 offences committed against my colleagues is totally unacceptable. Our traincrew and station staff are there to help our customers get where they want to be. They deserve to be treated with respect and the overwhelming majority of our customers do just that. However, if anyone does witness any unacceptable behaviour directed towards railway employees, I would urge them to contact British Transport Police."

In July, Northern issued a similar appeal as conductors spoke about the abuse they receive.

Anyone who witnesses a crime on the railway should contact British Transport Police immediately by texting:- 61016, or by calling:- 0800405040.

Rail users should also download the British Transport Police:- 'Railway Guardian' app, an all in-1 safety app that allows users to report crimes or concerns on the rail network, share journeys with trusted contacts and get access to news, guides and support.

The app is available to download from Google Play and the Apple App Store.

'Rock n roll' into the new year at Hard Rock Cafe Manchester

HARD Rock Cafe Manchester is inviting friends, families and partygoers to welcome the new year in style with 2 exclusive New Year's Eve party packages, jam-packed with delicious festive food and exciting entertainment.

The New Year's Eve experience package, for �40.95 per person, boasts a 3 course festive meal with 1 glass of prosecco. Festive starter options include either:- a Caesar or Berry Salad; for the main event, opt for either:- Baby Back Ribs, Festive Dinner, Grilled Salmon, Steak and Frites, Classic Smash Burger, Mushroom Swiss Burger, or a Cranberry Burger; and because there's always room for dessert, the holiday menu features a Caramel Apple Cheesecake.

Visitors can upgrade their night with the VIP New Year's Eve experience package, for �57.70 per person which features an additional half bottle of wine per person.

From:- 9pm the electrifying Outfoxed will perform a live rockin' set in the Manchester restaurant, during the 2nd half of their performance guests are invited to join in for some good old karaoke.

New Year's Eve bookings are restricted; for more information please contact the restaurant.

For more information about the standard New Year's Eve package visit:- OpenTable.Co.UK. Find out more about Hard Rock Cafe Manchester online at:- Cafe.HardRock.Com.

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Northern appeals to Christmas party revellers to treat traincrew and station staff with respect

'Rock n roll' into the new year at Hard Rock Cafe Manchester