Nottingham Trams Disruption Hits Goose Fair September 26

Nottingham Express Transit confirmed on September 18, 2026 that tram workers will strike during this year’s Goose Fair, after nine months of pay talks with GMB. In a network notice, the operator said the first walkout starts at 5:00 a.m. British Summer Time on Saturday, September 26, and that it will not run a tram service that takes fair visitors directly to Forest Recreation Ground.

Anyone booking a hotel, parking, or a day trip around the 10-day fair should treat the tram as unavailable on six named days, then check thetram.net again before leaving. England overnight stays already carry separate visitor-levy planning this season. The BBC reported the same windows and quoted GMB regional organiser Colin Whyatt saying 88 percent of members voted for action. GMB called off Goose Fair strikes in 2023 and 2024, so a late deal remains possible, but the operator’s current instruction is to plan without the tram.

Six Strike Days Split Across Goose Fair

NET published two full walkout blocks. The first runs from 5:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 26, until 4:59 a.m. on Monday, September 28. The second resumes at 5:00 a.m. on Friday, October 2, and ends at 4:59 a.m. on Sunday, October 4.

Between those blocks, tram workers will refuse overtime from 5:00 a.m. on Monday, September 28, through 4:59 a.m. on Friday, October 2. NET said that ban will add disruption on days that are not full strike days, and that a temporary timetable will follow.

Goose Fair opens Friday, September 25, and runs through Sunday, October 4, according to Visit Nottinghamshire. Only the first fair day sits outside the strike windows. Sunday, September 27, also coincides with the Robin Hood Half Marathon, which the BBC flagged as extra demand on remaining buses and roads.

Direct Tram Access to Forest Recreation Ground Stops

Managing director Sarah Turner said the strike “will mean we will not be able to run a tram service that takes Goose Fair visitors directly to the event.” That is the traveler decision. The Forest tram stop sits at the fairground. On the six strike days, do not build a plan that starts with tapping in on NET and alighting at The Forest.

Turner also warned that shifting tens of thousands of fair trips onto buses and roads could create overcrowding, bottlenecks, and extra traffic. NET called Goose Fair peak time for the network. The company said it remains open to further talks and hopes to reach a resolution so trams can keep moving for work, leisure, and study. Until a new notice replaces the September 18 statement, treat direct tram access as stopped on the published strike days.

Tourism copy written before the strike confirmation may still list the tram, family tickets, and park-and-ride connections as the easy way in. Visit Nottinghamshire still described NET family tickets and other park-and-ride sites as a route to the fair. Use the operator notice, not a destination listing, when the two disagree.

Forest Park and Ride Is Already Closed

The Forest park and ride site closed from 6:00 p.m. British Summer Time on September 20, the BBC reported, citing Nottingham City Council. That shutdown is already in force. It is a fairground setup window, not a strike measure, and it removes the closest park-and-ride deck whether trams run or not.

When the council announced the closure on September 11, it said trams would still run during the park-and-ride shutdown. That line predates the strike confirmation. Do not read it as a promise for September 26. Other park-and-ride sites on the tram network only help if a tram is actually operating to The Forest stop.

Pay Talks Remain Open After a June Offer

NET said pay discussions with GMB have run since January. The operator put a final improved offer on the table on June 19, 2026: a 3.3 percent increase, a 7 percent increase for the lowest paid roles, and further improvements for night workers. GMB rejected that package and called for a 4.1 percent increase. NET said a 4.1 percent rise is “financially untenable” and above current inflation.

NET said GMB accepted a two-year deal in 2024. Whyatt told the BBC the last two meetings were “pointless” but that talks were still due, and that “the strike action doesn’t help anyone.” GMB also threatened Goose Fair action in 2023 and 2024 and withdrew both times. A settlement before 5:00 a.m. on September 26 would change the plan. None has been posted on the operator site as of this writing.

Buses and Roads Carry the Extra Load

With the tram off the fairground and the Forest park and ride already shut, remaining options are local buses, walking from the city centre, or parking farther out and accepting congestion. NET said a temporary timetable is coming. Until that page is published, do not assume a partial tram service on strike days, and do not assume a normal service on overtime-ban weekdays.

Sunday, September 27, is the tightest day: a full strike, a noon to 9:00 p.m. fair, and the Robin Hood Half Marathon. Friday, September 25, is the one fair day before the first walkout. Check NET on the morning you travel. Plan as if the six days are real, then verify before you leave.