Train strikes - live: Drivers at nine rail companies announce new walkout in August
Large-scale walk outs cause cancellations and delays on Wednesday and Saturday
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Your support makes all the difference.Train drivers at nine rail companies have announced a new strike in August as a dispute causing travel chaos across the country deepens.
Aslef announced its members will walk out on Saturday, 13 August, saying the firms failed to make a pay offer to help members keep pace with increases in the cost of living.
The announcement was made as strikes by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union and Transport Salaried Staffs Association crippled services on Wednesday, with only around one in five trains running and some areas having none at all.
All passengers have been warned to complete any essential journeys by rail before 6.30pm, after which very few trains will be in operation.
Disputes in the bitter row over jobs, pay, pensions and conditions are worsening, with more strikes in the coming days, and a wave of industrial action planned next month on the UK’s railways and London Underground.
Only around one in five trains have been running today, on around half of the network, with some areas having no trains all day.
Disruption is expected to carry on into Thursday morning.
Who is going on strike?
More than 40,000 workers at Network Rail and 14 train operating companies are set to strike in England in a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) will walk out on Wednesday, potentially crippling rail services across the country.
The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) has also announced a strike by its members at Avanti West Coast on the same day.
Network Rail pointed out that all train operators may be affected by the strike, whether they have an individual dispute with the RMT or not, as signallers control train movements across the entire country.
The companies affected by the RMT strikes are: Network Rail, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry Trains, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, South Eastern, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express, Avanti West Coast, West Midlands Trains, Heathrow Express, Lumo, Hull Trains, Grand Central, Transport for Wales, ScotRail, Merseyrail, Thameslink, London Northwestern Railway, Caledonian Sleeper, Stansted Express, and GTR (including Gatwick Express).
There will be no Gatwick Express services and passengers should also expect significant disruption to Heathrow Express and Stansted Express services.
The RMT has announced its picket line location details, with stations including Wembley between 5am and 5pm, Bristol Parkway between 7am and 1pm, and Penzance between 6am and 6pm.
Tube workers to strike on 19 August
Tube workers will take strike action in an ongoing dispute over pensions and jobs on 19 August
The latest call for action has been prompted by “TfL's refusal to share the details of a draft government proposal they received regarding funding of the transport system in the capital, in secret and without any discussion with their recognised trade unions”, according to the RMT union.
The union is giving TfL until 2 August to give following assurances:
- There will be no reduction in jobs
- There will be no detrimental changes to our pensions
- There will be no changes to working conditions imposed
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Our members will once again take to picket lines in this important dispute over pensions, jobs and conditions.
”They have been messed around by TfL and Mayor Sadiq Khan. And to add insult to injury they have not seen the detail of this funding letter from government.
“Unless there can be assurances made about jobs, pensions and detrimental changes to working conditions, then our strike on August 19 will go ahead.”
12 Kings Cross services cancelled between 4pm and 6pm
A dozen train services due to depart Kings Cross have been cancelled as disruption caused by damage to overhead wires continues.
They are:
- The 16.06 to Lincoln
- The 16.12 to Ely
- The 16.27 to Bradford Interchange
- The 16.33 to Bradford Forster Square
- The 16.39 to King’s Lynn
- The 16.48 to Sunderland
- The 16.52 to Cambridge
- The 17.12 to Peterborough
- The 17.22 to Cambridge
- The 17.33 to Harrogate
- The 17.39 to King’s Lynn
- The 17.52 to Cambridge
Most incoming services from Sunderland, York, Cambridge, Harrogate, Kings Lynn, Edinburgh, Leeds, Ely and Lincoln to Kings Cross have also been cancelled, with most still running suffering delays.
First train strike cancellations start 5.30 tonight
Although the bulk of Wednesday train strike cancellations will occur between midnight tonight and midnight tomorrow night, some pre-emptive cancellations have been made ahead of the industrial action.
The overnight Caledonian Sleeper service has been cancelled to and from Euston on both Tuesday and Wednesday night.
The Grand Central 5.30pm service from Sunderland to Kings Cross has also been axed on Tuesday night, as well as an 8.30pm service from Kings Cross to Hull.
On Wednesday, Network Rail has warned: “People should only travel by train if they must, and if it is necessary, allow extra time and check when their last train will depart.”
Delays around Edinburgh’s Haymarket station following trespasser on track
ScotRail is seeing some delays around Edinburgh due to a trespasser on the track at Haymarket station.
“Due to trespassers on the railway at Haymarket all lines are closed. Train services running through this station may be cancelled, delayed or revised,” the operator tweeted earlier today.
At 3.15pm, the operator updated customers that: “Following trespassers on the railway earlier today at Haymarket all lines have now reopened.”
However, they informed passengers that there may be some knock-on delays from the incident.
UEFA Women’s Semi-Final ticket holders warned to avoid trains
UEFA is reminding football fans to double check their journeys and avoid travel travel to Milton Keynes for the women’s semi-finals on Wednesday. It is encouraging ticket holders to book coach travel instead.
“Reminder: rail strikes are taking place on Wednesday, July 27. Train travel for the #GER v #FRA semi-final won’t be possible on matchday,” reads a statment posted to social media.
“Additional coach services to Milton Keynes from London have become available and can be booked below.”
What time are the last trains during this week’s strikes?
The rail strike this week will see train services start later and finish earlier than normal.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union workers employed by Network Rail and 14 rail operators will take part in a one-day stoppage on July 27 while TSSA members at Avanti West Coast will also be on strike.
Here are the times of some of the last trains expected to run on Wednesday afternoon under the reduced services, according to Network Rail:
What time are the last trains during Wednesday’s rail strike?
The latest rail strike will see services start later and finish earlier than normal.
‘Dangerously crowded’ trains as Kings Cross passengers cram onto services
Amid heavy disruption at London’s Kings Cross, customers have taken to social media to complain about overcrowding on some services running north from London.
“There are people forced to travel standing in the toilets on this train as it is dangerously overcrowded. This is unsafe, unsanitary, and it stinks!” passenger Charlie Wray wrote to Cross Country trains on Twitter.
“We are already over 30 minutes late, there are people with disabilities on this train unable to access the toilets because the corridors are blocked solid - ‘sorry’ isn’t good enough!” she followed up, when the operator apologised.
“I’m afraid there isn’t anything we can do about the crowding on board, lots of people are travelling today to avoid strike action tomorrow and we’re also carrying passengers from other train operators who have been affected by major disruption on trains to/from London Kings Cross,” Cross Country has responded.
Meanwhile East Midlands customer Rob Townsend wrote: “Well done to EMR for worst train journey ever, stood all the way from St Pancras to Sheffield with no air con and the Kings Cross passengers rammed on, despite seat reservations @EastMidRailway.”
King’s Cross apologises for disruption
Kings Cross Station has apologised for the current delays to services in and out of the station, and confirmed that disription is likely to last into the evening.
“We’re sorry for the ongoing disruption between #KingsCross and #Peterborough,” reads a statement posted on Twitter.
“We’re working to repair the overhead line equipment. Services are likely to be impacted for the rest of the day, so please check your journey at: nationalrail.co.uk”.
Trains cancelled from King’s Cross
The travel chaos has begun a day early after nearly all trains from King’s Cross have been cancelled today.
Damage to the overhead electric wires between London Kings Cross and Peterborough means lines are blocked and are expected to remain so for the rest of day.
“We are advising not to travel today, Tuesday 26 July, between London Kings Cross and Peterborough due to the severity of today’s disruption,” says operator LNER. “We have also suspended all services from Leeds.”
Some trains appear to be running:
- 14.48 to Edinburgh
- 15.00 to Stirling
- 15.03 to Leeds
- 15.25 to Middlesbrough
- 15.30 to Glasgow Central
- 16.00 to Aberdeen
- 16.03 to Leeds
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