Millions of Brits to face major train disruption today despite rail strike called off
Passengers are urged to check with train operators before they travel with some still expected to run a reduced timetable due to the train strike change coming at such short notice.
Rail services will continue to be disrupted today, despite a series of planned strikes being called off.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) were set to stage walkouts in the coming few days in a long running dispute over jobs, pay and conditions.
But RMT suspended the strikes, saying it had secured “unconditional” talks with Network Rail (NR) and the promise of a pay offer from the train operating companies.
The union said the dispute remains “very much live” and it is continuing its re-ballot of members to secure a fresh mandate for action with the result due on 15 November.
Pay dispute far from solved
Talks will now be held over the next few weeks to try to resolve the dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group said advice remains to check before travelling.
“Unfortunately, the late notice of the suspension of strike action means that while train companies are working hard to reinstate services, some services will remain severely disrupted for our passengers into the early part of next week and our advice remains to please check before you travel,” a spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Network Rail said there will be a “quite a mixed picture” of delays and cancellations on Monday depending on the train operator.
But they added that widespread disruption is not expected on Tuesday and that services should also be running as normal on Wednesday, which had been another planned strike day, since operators will have had time to reorganise the usual timetables again.
Special strike timetables will remain largely in place for Monday, but some operators plan to run more services than on Saturday and hope they will be back to normal by midweek.
The RMT said NR had originally declared discussions and consultations closed and was intent on imposing changes to maintenance without agreement with the union.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the suspension of the strikes was a “positive development”, adding: “We encourage unions and employers to continue their negotiations and calling off these strikes has given those talks a better chance of success.
“It is vital, for passengers and workers alike, that all parties continue to work together and deliver a modern railway we can all be proud of.”
The TSSA announced it was calling off its planned rail strikes on November 5, 7, 8 and 9 after receiving an invitation to “intensive talks” from the Rail Delivery Group.
TSSA members were due to take strike action in five different rail companies on different days over the period.
Interim general secretary Frank Ward said: “We have always said that strikes are a last resort, and we are glad to finally be invited to the first set of formal talks with train operators in months.”