Train providers cancelled after rail union advised drivers to not stroll on snow: Thousands of commuters ‘hit by delays’

Snow saw train services cancelled at the weekend – but not because the white stuff was covering the tracks.  

Avanti West Coast trains were canned after the Aslef rail union told drivers not to walk on snow, causing chaos for thousands of commuters. 

Services between London and Liverpool were down for several hours on Sunday morning as a result of the demands.  

Last summer, the drivers salaries were increased to just under £70,000 when they were given a 15 per cent pay rise by the Government.

Around 14 services were cancelled after 10 trains did not leave the depot at their scheduled time, according to Network Rail data.

Thousands of journeys were likely disrupted and delayed, leaving angry passengers eligible for refunds.

The Met Office predicted one to three inches of snow fall in the Liverpool area on Sunday. 

Pictures taken at the Liverpool Edge Hill depot on Sunday morning show about two inches of snow on top of rails, cables and other equipment. 

Aslef health and safety representatives instructed drivers to stay at home until the snow cleared because it was unsafe to walk around, a railway insider claimed.

Avanti West Coast trains were cancelled over the weekend after a trade union worker told drivers not to walk on snow (stock)

Pictures taken at the Liverpool Edge Hill depot on Sunday morning show about two inches of snow on top of rails, cables and other equipment

They told The Telegraph: ‘Edge Hill depot [was] not gritted last night. All walkways covered in snow [or] ice and therefore no trains are able to leave as there’s no safe walking routes for drivers.’

A spokesperson for Aslef said: ‘The walk ways were covered in snow and ice – making them unusable. Once they had been cleared, the drivers could access their trains, and did so. This is basic safety stuff.’ 

The spokesperson dismissed the idea health and safety representatives were ‘over-reaching’ and pointed the blame at Avanti.

Shadow transport secretary Gareth Bacon said the move showed trade unions’ control over the railways has gone too far. 

He said: ‘Just who is running our railways under this new Government? It’s obvious who they’re being run for: the unions.’

The Edge Hill depot is one of Avanti West Coast’s main servicing locations for Pendolino trains, which run between London, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow. 

It comes after other so-called ‘Spanish practices’ have been put in place by unions to reduce the amount of work done by members, including re-starting scheduled breaks whenever bosses greet them during their downtime.

A spokesman for the train manufacturer told The Telegraph a contractor had to be called back to the depot to clear the walkways after routine scheduled treatment was carried out before the snowfall.

Mick Whelan, Aslef’s general secretary, announced that drivers had accepted the deal in September

The offer was made by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh within weeks of the party winning the general election

In September 2024, train drivers have overwhelmingly accepted a bumper pay offer from Labour to end a two-year dispute at 16 rail companies that brought chaos for commuters.

Aslef said members voted 96 per cent to four per cent in favour of a deal worth around 15 per cent over three years. The turnout was 84 per cent.

The offer was made by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh within weeks of the party winning the general election, among a slew of generous offers to end strikes.

It included a 5 per cent backdated pay rise for 2022-23, a 4.75 per cent rise for 23-24, and a 4.5 per cent increase for 2024-25.

But shadow transport secretary Helen Whately said it was ‘no surprise’ the package had been accepted.

‘It’s an inflation-busting pay rise with ‘no strings attached’ for reforms or improvements to services for passengers. And it will do nothing to prevent strikes in future,’ she said.

‘The government has failed to take responsibility – they don’t want to do the hard work of negotiating a fair, affordable settlement. Easier just to say yes to the unions and have taxpayers pick up the bill.’