Bosses are discussing a co-ordinated industry contingency plan for a ‘very limited timetable’ on July 27 during the walkout by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at train companies and Network Rail. The industrial action by thousands of workers means some parts of the country will have no train services at all. The walkout is set to affect those travelling on summer holidays, attending the Women’s Euro 2022 semi-final in Milton Keynes on July 27 or going to the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony Birmingham on July 28. A special ‘strike day’ timetable for July 27 will be released by operators this Saturday – but Network Rail said it was ‘certain that trains will start later and finish much earlier than usual, between 7.30am and 6.30pm’. This means last services from London to Scotland will leave in the early afternoon – and rail bosses also warned of disruption on the morning of Thursday, July 28 with a later start to services as employees return to duties. Network Rail has not yet released a map showing the planned rail services on July 27 – but during last month’s strike, no passenger services served locations such as Penzance, Bournemouth, Swansea, Chester and Blackpool. The action by the RMT on July 27 forms part of a so-called ‘summer of discontent’ and will take place on the same day as a separate walkout by members of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) on Avanti West Coast. Then, members of the Aslef drivers’ union at Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains will walk out on Saturday, July 30 in a dispute over pay. Separately, Aslef drivers on Greater Anglia and Stansted Express will strike this Saturday and on Hull Trains this Saturday and Sunday. And RMT members at Network Rail and 14 train operators will also walk out on August 18 and 20 – which comes after last month’s strikes on June 21, 23 and 25 that caused nearly a week of disruption. Passengers walk along the platform at London Waterloo station on June 21 during the strike by the RMT union last month Today, the Rail Delivery Group and Network Rail said the contingency plan will see a very limited timetable next Wednesday, ‘with around 20 per cent of services running and some parts of the country with no rail services’. Passengers were urged to ‘plan ahead, check before they travel, to expect disruption and only travel if necessary’. Network Rail said the strike ‘will again bring unnecessary and entirely avoidable disruption for passengers’.
When are the next UK rail strikes planned?
This Saturday (July 23): Aslef drivers on Greater Anglia and Stansted Express This Saturday and Sunday (July 23 and 24): Aslef drivers on Hull Trains Next Wednesday (July 27): RMT workers at Network Rail and train operators; TSSA at Avanti West Coast July 30: Aslef drivers at Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains August 18 and 20: RMT workers at Network Rail and train operators
Rail bosses said ‘thousands of specially-trained and fully qualified back-up staff will again step in during the walkout to keep vital services running for those who need them’. They added: ‘As only around 20 per cent of services will run across only around 50% of the network, passengers are advised to only travel by train if they must, and if it is necessary, allow extra time and check when their last train will depart.’ Passengers with an advance, off peak or anytime ticket who have bought a ticket on a strike day can use it for travel the day before, or up to and including Tuesday, August 2. They can also change their tickets to travel on an alternate date, or get a refund if their train is cancelled or rescheduled. Passengers with a season ticket that is monthly or longer, or have an activated days’ worth of travel on a flexi season ticket, who choose not to travel on July 27 or 30 can claim compensation for these days through the ‘delay repay’ scheme. Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said today: ‘Despite our best efforts to find a breakthrough, I’m afraid there will be more disruption for passengers next week as the RMT seems hell-bent on continuing their political campaigning, rather than compromising and agreeing a deal for their members. Network Rail has not yet released a map for services on July 27 – but this is what it issued ahead of the RMT strike last month RMT general secretary Mick Lynch speaks at a rally outside London King’s Cross station on June 25 during the last strike ‘I can only apologise for the impact this pointless strike will have on passengers, especially those travelling for holidays or attending events such as the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 semi-final (Wednesday 27th) and the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games (Thursday 28th).
UK begins third day of travel chaos with NO trains from King’s Cross and disruption across UK
Rail passengers faced mass disruption across Britain today as all trains out of London King’s Cross were cancelled and there were no direct services between Euston and Scotland following the UK’s hottest day on record. Operators including LNER and Thameslink issued ‘do not travel’ warnings again, almost every train out of London St Pancras was axed and Eurostar passengers faced delays of more than an hour due to a power failure in Lille. The line between King’s Cross and Peterborough was shut after a major fire spread onto the tracks at Sandy in Bedfordshire, causing damage to signalling equipment and a level crossing which both require complex repairs. The fire at Sandy also meant a planned inspection of more than 250 miles of track on the southern end of the East Coast Main Line to see whether any other equipment was damaged in the heat has not yet taken place. And there could be further disruption this afternoon when thunderstorms hit, with the Met Office issuing a warning from 1pm until 9pm saying flooding and lightning strikes could result in ‘delays and some cancellations’. ‘It is frustrating to yet again ask our passengers to change their plans and only make essential journeys.’ All train operators are affected by the strike next Wednesday whether they have an individual dispute with the RMT or not, because Network Rail’s signallers control train movements across the whole of the UK. Network Rail added that although the network will only be open from 7.30am to 6.30pm that day, the electricity to tracks and overhead lines will stay on throughout – along with patrolling by security staff, police and from the air. Steve Montgomery, chair of the Rail Delivery Group, added: ‘We are incredibly disappointed that the RMT and Aslef leadership are continuing with this action, disrupting the summer plans of millions – including those attending the Commonwealth Games. ‘While we will do all that we can to minimise disruption to passengers, our advice is to only travel if it is necessary, and if you are going to travel, please plan ahead. If you’re not able to travel, you can use your ticket either the day before or up to and including 2 August, otherwise you will be able to change your ticket or claim a refund. ‘We have a responsibility to bring our railway up to date and give our passengers a more punctual and reliable service so that we’re able to give our staff the pay rise they deserve. ‘But it is wrong to continue asking taxpayers to shoulder more of the burden when they have already contributed £600 per household during the pandemic, or to expect passengers to fund it by paying more for their tickets, when they too are feeling the pinch. ‘We ask the RMT and Aslef’s leadership to continue talking so we can come to a deal that works for our people, our passengers and for taxpayers.’ Over the weekend, Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said his union’s rail strikes planned for later this month are still due to go ahead because ‘no one’s coming to the table’ to find a way out. He told Sky News on Sunday that the industrial action planned for the end of July will mean ‘virtually no service’ in areas affected.
