Which rail companies are affected?
The train companies affected are:
Avanti West CoastC2CCaledonian SleeperChiltern RailwaysCrossCountryEast Midlands RailwayGatwick ExpressGreater AngliaGWRGTR Great Northern ThameslinkHeathrow ExpressIsland LineLNERNorthern TrainsSoutheasternSouthernGatwick ExpressSouth Western Railway main lineStanstead ExpressSWR depot driversTransPennine ExpressWest Midlands Trains.
Advice for travelling during train strikes
National Rail warns passengers to expect “significant disruption” on strike days. Services are also likely to be disrupted and start later on the day immediately after.
National Rail has recommended that passengers:
Use its Journey Planner. Passengers should check close to the time of each strike date.Use its Live Trains page for the most up-to-date information about arrivals and departuresPlan ahead and check before you travel. This includes checking your entire journey, especially if you’re travelling on the first and last trains of strike days.
Train station ticket office closures
Nearly all railway station ticket offices are being shut and staff moved on to station platform and concourse duties, according to the Rail Delivery Group (RDG). Ticket office facilities will remain open only at the busiest stations.
Posters are being displayed in stations informing passengers about potential closures. The Government will make the final decision on which offices will be axed following a consultation. It is not known how quickly the first offices will shut, but the closure programme is expected to last for three years.
Why are Aslef striking?
Aslef members are taking industrial action as they push for a pay rise.
The union has criticised the government from failing to meet its negotiating team – general secretary Mick Whelan, assistant general secretary Simon Weller, and executive committee president Dave Calfe.
They last met representatives of the employers, the Rail Delivery Group, under the agreed post-pandemic framework of the Rail Industry Recovery Group, in April.
Mr Whelan added: “Do you remember Where’s Wally? Well, what we want to know is Where’s Harper?
“We last saw the Secretary of State for Transport in December.
“We last saw Huw Merriman, the Rail Minister, in January.
“And we last saw the train companies in April.
“Since then, nothing. Nada. Zilch. Not a letter, not an email, not a text message, not a phone call, not a WhatsApp. Not a word!”
