Rochdale rail passengers to benefit from more Sunday services

Rochdale Train Station

From 20 May, Northern is introducing nine additional return Sunday services between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale.

The extra trains will provide more capacity on the route and will depart from Victoria at 48 minutes past the hour from 09.48 until 17.48, and from Rochdale at 22 minutes past the hour from 10.22 until 18.22. These will call at local stations including Castleton, Mills Hill and Moston.

During the times that the new trains are running, the existing Calder Valley trains from Leeds will not call at Castleton, Mills Hill or Moston, meaning passengers travelling from Rochdale and east of there will enjoy a faster journey time.

Rochdale passengers will benefit from twice as many trains and passengers from Castleton, Mills Hill and Moston will have more seats on their trains.

Northern is providing the services in partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

Lee Wasnidge, Area Director for Northern comments: “It is important for us to be able to provide a cost effective solution as well as increased capacity for our passengers, where and when it is needed most. We recognise the importance of Sunday services for travelling to and from leisure activities and hope these can continue to support the Manchester economy and further afield. We are delighted to be able to offer additional travel options to our passengers and are thrilled with the support we have had from TfGM to make these extra services happen.”

Stephen Clark, Rail Programme Director at Transport for Greater Manchester, says: “We always try to work with operators like Northern Rail to ensure that there are plenty of local rail services available for passengers on Sundays, and this is the latest in a number of boosts to Sunday services on various Greater Manchester routes.

“Feedback from local rail users has also been welcome in helping us to form priorities for rail service improvements.

“Our railways aren’t just for commuting. Local services like the ones being introduced between Rochdale and Manchester on the Calder Valley route provide passengers with plenty of opportunities to travel on a Sunday for shopping and leisure.

“The new services will give passengers the choice to leave the car at home, and will also make connections to Sunday inter-city services more accessible.”