NORTHERN is letting football fans in Bradford know that the rail operator is ready for the kick-off of the new season.

Aside from a few short weeks last year, fans have been absent from matches for 18 months and Northern has put the time to good use - making improvements across its network.

As part of Northern’s Better Way to Go campaign, improvements have been made to trains and stations, and customers also now have more and better ways to buy their tickets than ever before.

Bradford City have their first home game of the season this Saturday when they entertain Oldham Athletic in League Two, with many Bantams fans taking to the trains to get to Valley Parade.

Mark Powles, Commercial and Customer Director at Northern, said: “During the past 18 months we’ve invested in significant improvements across our network.

“We’ve completed the introduction of our new trains, have fully refurbished our older trains and enhanced the majority of our stations.

“As football fans return to the network this weekend for the start of the new Premier League season, they will see palpable changes wherever they travel.”

And it’s not just physical changes that will greet those travelling for the first time in several months.

Northern has transformed the way in which customers can pay for their travel and there’s now more choice than ever before when it comes to buying tickets. Great value fares are available direct from Northern using the mobile app and, with more than 600 new ticket vending machines as well improvements to web purchasing, buying ticket is now easier and more convenient too.

Mr Powles added: “Our message to customers is clear. Thanks to the improvements we’ve made and the new ticketing options available, there has never been a better time to use Northern to go do your thing.”

Those who do return to the railway this weekend can do so with confidence as Northern continues to provide enhanced cleaning at its stations and on-board its trains.

Northern has more than 600 dedicated cleaning staff working on trains and at stations with a particular focus on touch points (tables, buttons and toilets). The enhanced cleaning regime is designed to protect customers and staff by reducing the potential risk of transmission.

And the operator is also asking customers to be considerate of others and, if able, to continue wearing face coverings on trains and at stations.