NORTHERN has issued a warning ahead of its new timetables coming into force this weekend.

The rail operator - one of the largest in the north west - will be updating its timetables on Sunday, May 21.

Passengers are being urged to check their routes ahead of travelling; although most services will remain 'as is,' there are still some shakeups to come.

St Helens Star: Northern operates thousands of services per day in the UKNorthern operates thousands of services per day in the UK (Image: Newsquest)

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said: “The new timetable coming into effect on Sunday is part of a national timetable change process that takes place twice a year for all train operators in England.

“The train network is a complex system of inter-dependent parts and it is vital that changes are co-ordinated in this way.

“For the vast majority of our customers there is no change, but some will notice a slight re-timing of service – as such, I would advise all customers to use the Check My Timetable feature on our website for any travel plans after May 21.

“There are a very small number of services that have been removed from the timetable which reflects customer demand and we have already communicated that information to those communities.”

Northern is the second-largest rail operator in the UK, and operates 2,500 services per day to more than 500 stations across the north of England.