The Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, has criticised Northern Rail following an disclosure indicating the firm has 'no plans' to replace outdated fax machines – more than six months after a commitment to modernise.
Last October, it was found that Northern Rail continued to rely on faxes for staff communication.
Burnham called the situation 'embarassing' and said it was 'no wonder' passengers often face late updates regarding the operator's frequent delays and cancellations.
At the time, Northern officials signalled their intention to 'get rid of the fax machines', yet a recent Freedom of Information Act disclosure confirms no formal meetings have been held about introducing 'new technology' in place of the fax machines.
No consensus has been reached with trade unions on tech upgrades, and although future talks 'may involve further conversations regarding new technology, there are no plans in place currently', Northern Rail has affirmed.
Officials at Northern Rail said: "No formal meetings have taken place internally or externally, specifically regarding the replacement of fax machines."
They also stated: "Replacing fax machines isn't a priority as they do not impact train service performance.
"We are currently focusing our efforts on technology that will make a difference, like the new state-of-the-art simulators that will be used to train drivers and conductors."
Northern authorities had previously justified their use of outdated fax machines, claiming they were necessary for conveying 'vital messages' to train staff. However, with fax technology set to become obsolete in January 2027, BT is advising businesses to migrate to email by the end of 2025 to ensure a seamless transition.
In response to the development, the Mayor of Greater Manchester stated: "I've been very clear that rail passengers in the north need – and deserve – better than an unreliable, fax-driven railway."
"Modernising working practices, including the use of technology, forms part of the current talks underway between the rail unions and DfT and we are hopeful that agreements can be reached that allow Northern to focus on delivering the kind of reliable railway our passengers, businesses and those working on our trains desperately need."
The driver's union ASLEF revealed that it had reached agreements with all other rail operators to move beyond fax technology. However, a spokesperson claimed that Northern, which operates across over 500 stations, chose not to pursue discussions about upgrading its technology in 2021.
The spokesperson later added: "It's a matter for the company."
Meanwhile, the Transport union RMT emphasised the need to ensure that any technological advancements "protect jobs, terms and conditions of our members".
In May this year, Northern's performance was marred by delays and cancellations, with around half of its services running behind schedule and over 2,300 trains cancelled. Furthermore, more than 20% of services in North Manchester operated with reduced capacity.
Earlier in the year, Mr Burnham revealed his ambitious scheme to 'revolutionise' Greater Manchester's railways by transferring eight commuter trains – predominantly operated by Northern – under 'local control'. The mayor envisions that trains serving 96 stations across the city-region will be incorporated into the Bee Network's 'integrated' payment system by 2030.
