Commuters face travel chaos this month as 20,000 rail workers prepare for three days of strikes in their prolonged pay dispute.
RMT members will once again walk out at 14 train operators across England, after the companies failed to make revised pay offer.
The latest strike action will impact fans hoping to attend two of the Ashes Tests and The Open Championship golf tournament.
It comes as train drivers at 16 rail operators have refused to work overtime for six days in July, threatening travel disruption for tennis fans heading to Wimbledon. London Underground workers have also planned four days of walkouts in July.
When are the next train strikes?
The RMT said that 20,000 rail workers – including station staff, train managers and catering workers – across the UK are to strike on the following days:
Thursday July 20Saturday July 22 Saturday July 29
The three days of strikes will impact cricket fans travelling to the fourth and fifth Ashes Tests.
The fourth Ashes Test is due to take place at Old Trafford in Manchester between Wednesday July 19 to Sunday July 23. The fifth Test in London runs from Thursday July 27 until Monday July 31.
The strikes also clash with The Open Championship, which runs from Thursday July 20 until Sunday July 23 at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
Meanwhile, the overtime ban on Aslef train drivers – which could lead to last-minute cancellations – will take place over six days, from Monday July 3 to Saturday July 8.
The industrial action coincides with the first week of this year’s Wimbledon tournament, which began on Monday July 3.
It comes after RMT and Aslef strikes wreaked havoc for rail passengers in May, including thousands of people attending the FA Cup final at Wembley, the Epsom Derby, Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” world tour concert at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the Eurovision final in Liverpool.
Which rail companies are affected?
Members of the RMT will strike at 14 rail companies, including:
Avanti West CoastC2CChiltern RailwaysCrossCountryEast Midlands RailwayGTR (includes Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express)Great Western RailwayGreater Anglia (includes Stansted Express)LNERNorthern TrainsSoutheasternSouth Western RailwayTransPennine ExpressWest Midlands TrainsGTR operates Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express.
The level of disruption from the Aslef overtime ban will vary for different operators. The train companies affected are:
Avanti West CoastChiltern RailwaysCross CountryEast Midlands RailwayGreater AngliaGWRGTR Great Northern ThameslinkIsland LineLNERNorthern TrainsSoutheasternSouthernGatwick ExpressSouth Western Railway main lineSWR depot driversTransPennine ExpressWest Midlands Trains.
Advice for travelling during train strikes
National Rail warns passengers to expect “significant disruption” during 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 onto 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 20,000 rail workers striking again?
The RMT has accused train operators of failing to make a new pay offer to end the long-running industrial action.
Mr Lynch said: “My team of negotiators and I are available 24/7 for talks with the train operating companies and government ministers.
“Yet quite incredibly neither party has made any attempt whatsoever to arrange any meetings or put forward a decent offer that can help us reach a negotiated solution.”
