Media centre

Wednesday 7 Jan 2026

Storm Goretti: Passengers in North West advised 'check before you travel'

Region & Route:

North West & Central

Passengers across the North West have been advised to check before they travel over the coming days as Storm Goretti is expected to bring heavy snow and strong winds.

The Met Office has issued amber weather warnings for snow, which begin tomorrow afternoon (Thursday 8 January) and cover large areas of the North West and the Midlands. These conditions could continue into Friday 9 January.

Network Rail teams around the region are actively preparing for snow and ice by treating tracks and station surfaces and applying de-icer to points.

Passengers travelling across the North West, particularly in the High Peak, should take extra care and plan their journeys in advance. 

Passengers travelling north from London Euston should also be aware that Avanti West Coast is operating fewer services from London to Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool. 

Snow and ice can make it difficult for trains to run safely. In very cold weather, snow and ice can build up on the tracks blocking points, the equipment that allows trains to move between tracks.

Ice can coat the electrified third rail and overhead power cables, preventing trains from drawing the power they need to run and leaving them stranded. Icicles on tunnels, bridges and other structures can also damage trains and overhead power cables.

Ross Davies, Network Rail’s North West operations director, said: “We are doing everything we can to prepare the railway for the impacts from Storm Goretti.

"I’d urge passengers to check before they travel as there is likely to be disruption to services during the extreme weather. The safety of passengers and colleagues will be at the heart of everything we do as we respond to this storm.”

Northern has warned that the following routes will be closed between 6pm on Thursday and Saturday 10 January so it will not be able to run any services:

• Buxton - Hazel Grove
• New Mills Central- Sheffield
• Guide Bridge - Glossop/Hadfield

Tricia Williams, managing director at Northern, said: “We have issued 'Do Not Travel' warnings on these three routes and are advising customers to check before they travel on other routes across our network and allow extra time for their journeys.

“We never do this without careful consideration and are working closely with Network Rail to prepare for the storm. We will be running services where it is safe to do so.” 

Chris Liptrot, Operations Director at Avanti West Coast, said: “Due to the heavy snow and strong winds forecast with Storm Goretti, we’ll be operating a reduced timetable from 3pm on Thursday 8 January.

“Customers booked to travel on Thursday 8 January can make their journey anytime today (Wednesday 7 January) or tomorrow using their existing ticket, and are encouraged to do so earlier in the day. We’re working closely with Network Rail to monitor the weather and strongly advise customers check before they travel on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 January, as there could be further changes or delays to services.” 

For up-to-date travel information and detail on alternative travel please check www.nationalrail.co.uk.