From today: Many trains services slashed following staff shortages as strikes and Covid cripple rail networks January 1, 2022 Several train operators – including ScotRail and South Western Railway – said they have no choice but to slash services as a result of Covid-induced staff shortages. From today until 17 January, when the new timetable will be introduced, Southwestern Railway trains will be subject to short notice cancellations. “The onset of the Omicron variant [...]
Christmas chaos as Heathrow inaccessible via Tube or rail November 16, 2021 Passengers will have to take the car if they want to go to Heathrow on Christmas and Boxing Day. Network Rail and Transport for London (TfL) will be in fact carrying out works on the railway network and Tube services to the airport, MyLondon reported. Network Rail will be carrying out signalling and HS2 work [...]
Negotiation has failed: the defence Keir should have made for rail strikes June 27, 2022 The rail strikes have finished, for the moment, and we can return to normal after the disruption. But we are promised a “summer of discontent”, with teachers and barristers next up to withdraw their labour. Disruption in public-facing services seems to be emerging as 2022’s leitmotif. The government responded to the transport strike by simultaneously [...]
Southern trains cancels ALL services to and from London Victoria until January 10 as rail disruption worsens December 30, 2021 Southern announced this afternoon that none of its trains will run to or from London Victoria until January 10 due to “coronavirus isolation and sickness”. Disruption to rail services is worsening due to pandemic-related staff shortages and industrial action. London Victoria is one of the UK’s busiest stations, and is normally connected by Southern to [...]
Irritated Dominic Raab warns today’s barrister strike ‘only delays justice for victims’ as lawyer walkout begins June 27, 2022 Barristers are staging court walkouts for several days from today in a dispute over legal aid funding. They will also refuse to accept new cases and to carry out “return work” – stepping in and picking up court hearings and other work for colleagues whose cases are overrunning. Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said the barrister [...]
Welcome aboard, this is a driverless train: unions begin their own demise June 22, 2022 As the summer sun makes the UK feel like a Mediterranean resort, we are also about to see the perils of the labour problems that Southern Europe was so often bedeviled by. Trains have ground to a halt, the London Underground has stopped, and buses are stuck in their depots. Millions of pounds will be [...]
After crushing by-election defeat: What next for beleaguered prime minister Boris Johnson? June 24, 2022 After the Tories’ humiliating defeats in two parliamentary by-elections overnight, Boris Johnson’s authority has suffered a double blow. A fatal blow, some believe. The contests in Wakefield, West Yorkshire and Tiverton and Honiton, Devon were triggered by Conservative MPs resigning in disgrace. Wakefield’s Imran Ahmad Khan quit as an MP after being convicted of sexual [...]
Consultancy ads for driverless Tube trains prompt unions to issue strike threat September 28, 2021 A range of adverts for a consultancy contract to explore the introduction of driverless trains on London Underground has prompted a leading rail workers union to raise the threat of industrial action. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said the move was part of Government-driven spending cuts on the Tube. General secretary Mick Lynch said [...]
Check your commute here: What is each train operator in Britain planning for today’s strikes? June 21, 2022 As rail workers are walking out today, Thursday and Saturday, disruption is expected to last every day this week until Sunday. All of UK’s train operators have released plans for how their services will be altered during this week’s rail strikes, so we have a breakdown of each operator’s plan for strike days, in alphabetical [...]
Fresh London Overground strikes to pile on more misery for commuters January 30, 2024 London Overground workers have announced new strike action in the ongoing dispute over pay, piling yet more misery on commuters.