Four rail firms had no trains at present as chaos on traces proceed
- Commuters needing to journey have expressed their fury on social media
Four rail firms had no trains working at present because the chaos on Britain’s rail traces continued throughout every week of strikes.
Members of prepare drivers’ union Aslef at Avanti West Coast, Chiltern, Great Northern Thameslink and West Midlands Railways have walked out within the lengthy working dispute over pay and situations.
The 9 days of disruption started yesterday regardless of a proposal on the desk to hike prepare drivers’ pay packets to £65,000 a 12 months with Transport Secretary Mark Harper demanding an finish to the walkouts.
RMT members have already voted to simply accept the supply however Aslef normal secretary Mick Whelan informed the BBC it had solely been provided ‘a nasty religion deal’.
Per week of commuter chaos is anticipated after Aslef members voted to stage an extra six months of stroll outs in a long-running dispute over pay.
Overtime may even be banned till subsequent weekend which is able to result in additional disruption and cancellations.
Trains sit nonetheless close to Kettering prepare station in Northamptonshire in the course of the strike by members of the prepare drivers union Aslef
Great Northern have refused to supply bus replacements for cancelled trains
Writing in The Express, Mr Harper stated Aslef refusing to place the supply to its members is ‘piling on extra pointless disruption for passengers’.
‘The extra they inconvenience the British public, the extra they play quick and unfastened with individuals’s livelihoods, significantly these within the hospitality sector,’ Mr Harper stated. ‘This isn’t the primary time both.’
Commuters needing to journey throughout this busy pre-Christmas weekend have expressed their fury on social media after being stranded with no rail substitute service.
One particular person unable to get a bus substitute service with Great Northern wrote on X: ‘Please clarify why as a service trade you assume it’s acceptable to not present a service to passengers. I’ve an annual season ticket and you might be letting me and all different passengers down.’
When they requested a few bus service to Stevenage, Great Northern stated: ‘We don’t have any rail replacements in place at present as a result of industrial motion.’
Others have additionally taken to social media to sentence the strikes, with one writing: ‘Wouldn’t discover. You cancel so many trains on the drop of a hat.’
Train drivers throughout England began a week-long ban on additional time on Friday which is anticipated to disrupt providers.
The motion follows the information that Aslef members have voted overwhelmingly to proceed taking industrial motion for the subsequent six months.
East Midlands Railway stated it will not function providers on any of its routes on Saturday, whereas the additional time ban might trigger some late discover cancellations and adjustments to coach occasions.
Passengers had been suggested to examine earlier than travelling.
A press release stated: ‘If journey is important, bus replacements are in place, however with extraordinarily restricted availability and can take significantly longer (roughly 120 minutes).’
Strikes towards different prepare operators will probably be held on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union accepted a deal to resolve their dispute over pay and situations however the Aslef row is deadlocked.
Aslef normal secretary Mick Whelan stated he has not had any talks with employers since April, and has not met Mr Harper since final December.
An indication on the closed Kettering station as prepare providers proceed to be disrupted following the strike
People took to social media at present to sentence the prepare strikes which have brought on commuter chaos
‘We are on this for the lengthy haul. Our members haven’t had a pay rise for practically 5 years.
‘Train drivers are fed up and pissed off that their employers failed to barter in good religion.
‘These are key staff who stored the nation shifting all through the pandemic. They are merely asking for a good and respectable deal.’
A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) stated: ‘This pointless and avoidable trade motion referred to as by the Aslef management has been focused to disrupt prospects and companies forward of the important festive interval.
‘It may even inflict additional harm on an trade that’s receiving as much as a further £175 million a month in taxpayer money to maintain providers working, following the Covid downturn.
‘As the extent of service varies throughout the nation our recommendation is to examine earlier than you journey.’
The RDG stated the most recent supply of an 8 per cent pay enhance over two years would take common salaries from nearly £60,000 a 12 months to nearly £65,000.
Rail Minister Huw Merriman stated: ‘Following RMT members voting to overwhelmingly settle for the prepare operators’ pay supply, Aslef is not simply the one rail union nonetheless putting however the one union to not even put a proposal to its members.
‘They are as an alternative selecting to trigger extra distress for passengers and the hospitality sector this festive interval.
‘The truthful and cheap supply that is lengthy been on the desk would deliver the typical prepare driver’s wage as much as £65,000 for a 35-hour, four-day week.
‘Aslef’s management ought to comply with within the footsteps of all the opposite rail unions by doing the appropriate factor and giving their members a say on that provide.’
