FOLLOWING last week’s announcement confirming upcoming tram strike action during this year’s Goose Fair, Nottingham Express Transit (NET) has shared an important service update for all tram users.
There will be no trams running across the network on Saturday 26 September, Sunday 27 September, Friday 02 October and Saturday 03 October while strike action takes place.
During the period between strike days, on Monday 28 September, Tuesday 29 September, Wednesday 30 September and Thursday 01 October, tram workers will be taking part in action short of strike, which will see many workers refuse or cancel overtime.
As a result, NET has advised tram users that regular service could be impacted on the days in between full strike action, with some potential delays expected across the network.
However, the tram operator will be running a slightly altered tram timetable to allow for this, with more frequent trams scheduled for later into the evening on the affected days, to support locals looking to attend Goose Fair which runs from 25 September until 04 October.
Sarah Turner, managing director at NET, said:
“Following GMB’s decision to strike and target the popular Goose Fair event, it has meant that we’ll sadly not be able to run any tram service for four days while strike action takes place.
“This is an incredibly disappointing outcome, and we know many tram users will share our disappointment. Not only will it impact the many people who rely on the trams for study, work and travel into the city, but the days that have been specifically targeted by GMB will also have wider implications for the city as a whole. In addition to Goose Fair, the upcoming strike action will affect two more really big calendar events for the city, as it takes place during Freshers’ Week and the Robin Hood Marathon, which could lead to further disruption and increased traffic across the city.
“We’re always committed to doing all we can to keep the city moving, even during strike action. However, due to staff numbers, it’s safer to have no service than to run a service with limited staff, which means we’ve had to make the difficult decision to not run a service during strike days. In addition, during the period in between strike days, while tram workers will still be working, the lack of any overtime work will still have a massive impact on our operations. This is because during busy periods of the year, overtime plays a crucial part in allowing us to run a robust and reliable service.
“That being said, we’ll be doing all we can to ensure that we support as many Goose Fair visitors as possible. So, while there may potentially be some delays which could mean having to wait a few minutes longer and tram services that could be slightly busier than usual, during the days between strikes, trams will be running to all tram stops, including The Forest, meaning tram users will still be able to access Goose Fair by tram on those days.”
The upcoming strike action comes after nine months of pay talks between GMB and NET, and comes after GMB rejected NET’s offer of a 3.3% pay increase and a 7% increase for the lowest paid roles, with further improvements for night workers.
Sarah added:
“Over the coming days, we remain open to further talks with GMB in the hopes of coming to a resolution that will ensure we can continue to keep the city moving.”
Tram users are advised to check the service status pages on the NET website and the NETGO! app for any service updates and timetable changes during the upcoming strike action.
For more information, visit https://www.thetram.net/ or the dedicated service update page at https://support.thetram.net/support/solutions/articles/15000062711-tram-strike-industrial-action-26th-september-4th-october-2026
Posted on 23 September 2026
