When are the train strikes? Everything you need to know about July and August rail industrial action

13 months on from the begin of the first nationwide rail strikes since the Eighties, the disputes over pay, jobs and working circumstances seem as intractable as ever. July has seen the resumption of industrial action aimed toward greater than a dozen train operators by each primary rail unions, which is able to proceed into August.

The most important rail union, the RMT, and Aslef, representing train drivers, say a lot of their members haven’t had a pay rise for 4 years. They are demanding no-strings will increase that keep in mind the excessive degree of inflation. The unions are ready to talk about reforms, however these should be negotiated individually with commensurate boosts to pay.

Train operators and ministers – who should log out any deal – insist modernisation is important following the collapse of rail income, specifically the lack of a lot of the “bedrock” of season ticket gross sales since the Covid pandemic.

Caught in the center: the long-suffering passenger. Since June 2022, nationwide rail strikes and different types of industrial action have scuppered the journey plans of tens of hundreds of thousands of train passengers. Stoppages have been known as ceaselessly, inflicting large disruption and making advance journey planning tough.

Transport for Wales and ScotRail are not concerned and will run regular providers – however as a few of the affected operators normally run trains in Wales and Scotland, providers on strike days could also be extra crowded than regular.

These are the key questions and solutions.

Who’s taking industrial action, and when?

The most important rail union, the RMT, known as` 20,000 of its members out on strike on Thursday 20, Saturday 22 and Saturday 29 July. The late July walk-outs are inflicting hundreds of cancellations every day at the begin of the primary summer time faculty holidays in England.

The train drivers’ union, Aslef, is mounting “action wanting a strike” in the form of Monday-to-Saturday additional time bans. Saturday 22 July is the final day of the second such action. The subsequent begins on Monday 31 July till Saturday 5 August.

Lots of of trains are seemingly to be cancelled every day because of this.

A London Underground strike, additionally involving members of the RMT, was known as off at 36 hours’ discover after progress in talks./

Which train operators are concerned in the nationwide disputes?

The RMT strikes and Aslef additional time bans are aimed toward rail companies contracted by the Division for Transport. They embrace the main intercity operators:

Most London commuter operators might be hit:

Operators specializing in the Midlands and north of England might be affected:

What is going on about the London Underground?

London Overground and the Elizabeth Line are unaffected by the deliberate industrial action. However routes that supply alternate options to strike-hit routes, corresponding to Stratford, Walthamstow Central and Ealing Broadway to central London, are seemingly to be particularly busy throughout the walk-outs by RMT members working for train operators and the London Underground,

Why had been the July and August dates chosen?

Like several unions, the RMT and Aslef are searching for the largest impression – ie to trigger as a lot disruption as they’ll. With rail commuting sharply down since the Covid pandemic, the goal is now leisure passengers.

The RMT union’s nationwide walk-outs are concentrating on what are seemingly to be three of the busiest days of the month, with many households on the transfer at the begin of faculty holidays in England, significantly to and from seaside resorts. The primary two dates additionally fell throughout the Open golf championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Membership.

The second Aslef additional time ban affected passengers hoping to journey to the first 4 days of the fourth Ashes Check between England and Australia.

Cricket followers hoping to journey to and inside London for the fifth Ashes Check at the Oval, which might be performed 27-31 July, face disruption from each elements of industrial action.

Which trains will run throughout the Aslef and RMT industrial action?

Passengers can anticipate regular service on:

Southeastern: RMT strike days will see a lot diminished providers, with hyperlinks solely from London Victoria to Bromley South, London Bridge to Dartford and Sevenoaks and London St Pancras Worldwide to Ashford Worldwide, Canterbury and Ramsgate, with diminished service hours.

Southern: A diminished timetable will function on all days of industrial action, however largely with regular hours.

Gatwick Specific: Cancelled on all days of industrial action, however various Southern providers are out there (and are less expensive).

Thameslink: The Thameslink core between London Bridge and St Pancras Worldwide might be closed throughout all industrial action.

On RMT strike days, a much-reduced service will run between 7am and 7pm.

Throughout the Aslef additional time ban, an emergency timetable with fewer providers will function.

Southwestern: Lowered providers throughout Aslef additional time ban, skeleton community on RMT strike days: London Waterloo to Guildford, Southampton, Ascot and Hampton Courtroom. All different strains closed.

Nice Western Railway (GWR): Night time Riviera sleeper train from London Paddington to Penzance is cancelled from 16 to 21 July, resuming on 23 July.

The Aslef additional time ban “is probably going to trigger some short-notice alterations or cancellations”.

On the RMT strike days, “many components of the GWR community can have no service in any respect”.

GWR says: “Companies will begin later, end a lot earlier and solely function for a restricted interval throughout the day.”

However a much bigger community than on earlier days will function, with trains on the following intercity routes to and from London Paddington:

As well as some regional providers will run, together with Cardiff to Westbury through Tub and Bristol, and Bristol to Plymouth.

CrossCountry: A diminished community with nothing north of Edinburgh or west of Plymouth throughout the RMT strikes. Cardiff to Nottingham trains won’t run, and the regular hyperlink from Birmingham to Stansted Airport will terminate at Peterborough.

Chiltern: Fewer trains and diminished hours throughout the Aslef additional time ban. On RMT strike days the community might be diminished to a restricted service linking London Marylebone with Aylesbury, Banbury and Oxford.

West Midlands Railway: On RMT strike days the train operator says: “We’ll present a restricted service utilizing administration volunteers and employees who are not partaking in strike action.

“We’ll prioritise the supply of a really restricted service on our mainline routes nonetheless, our recommendation to prospects is to solely journey in case your journey is important and you haven’t any different technique of transport out there.”

Throughout the Aslef additional time ban, providers are diminished and some hyperlinks are changed by buses.

Avanti West Coast: The Aslef additional time ban isn’t anticipated to have an effect. However on RMT strike days the image is sophisticated by large-scale engineering work. The essential sample to and from London Euston might be one train every hour to/from:

On 29 July there might be extra trains with Birmingham and Liverpool every getting a devoted service.

North Wales, Shrewsbury, Blackpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield and Edinburgh can have no Avanti West Coast providers.

“The times after industrial action are additionally anticipated to be affected – significantly due to the diminished timetable for engineering work, however trains might also begin later in the morning than regular following the strike,” Avanti West Coast says.

Northern: “Disruption is anticipated between 17-22 July, significantly Friday 21 July, due to industrial action known as by Aslef.

“There might be very restricted Northern providers on Thursday 20, Saturday 22 and Saturday 29 July.”

TransPennine Specific: “We anticipate some providers to begin later and end sooner than regular, and some journeys could also be altered late or on the day of journey” – that’s the prediction for the Aslef additional time ban.

On RMT strike days a really restricted variety of trains will run on the Manchester Piccadilly-Leeds-York-Scarborough route; between Preston and Manchester Airport; and between Sheffield and Cleethorpes.

East Midlands Railway: Various train cancellations are predicted throughout the Aslef additional time ban. On RMT strike days, the operator says: “Solely journey by rail if completely crucial and if you do journey, anticipate extreme disruption.” However a major service will function hourly on these routes:

LNER: Throughout Aslef additional time ban, “it’s doable there might be short-notice alterations and cancellations”.

On RMT strike days, a daily service will run on the London-York-Newcastle-Edinburgh line, with first departures round 7am and closing arrivals round 10pm. London-Leeds providers will run roughly 7am-6pm.

Trains could possibly be unexpectedly full as Grand Central – uninvolved in the dispute – has cancelled dozens of trains due to fleet points.

Nice Northern: Trains will run frequently from London Kings Cross to Cambridge and Kings Lynn.

Peterborough and Letchworth get peak hour providers solely.

“Companies might be busier than regular, particularly in peak hours. It’s seemingly you will need to queue and you might not be in a position to board your chosen service. You must permit further time to your journey.”

Higher Anglia: “Various cancellations” throughout the Aslef additional time ban.

“Keep away from travelling with Higher Anglia on strike days,” the firm says. However primary line providers will function.

Stansted Airport is probably going to have trains to and from London Liverpool Road each hour from round 7am till mid-evening.

Will airport trains run?

The Gatwick Specific between the Sussex airport and London is suspended, however Southern trains are out there on the London Victoria-Gatwick hyperlink

Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Southampton, Birmingham and Manchester airports can have some trains throughout the RMT walk-outs.

Heathrow airport is unaffected by the nationwide walk-outs: it’s served by the Heathrow Specific and Elizabeth Line, in addition to the London Underground. However throughout the RMT Tube strike in opposition to Transport for London, the airport’s Tube hyperlink on the Piccadilly Line is probably going to be suspended – in frequent with virtually all different Underground providers

Will Eurostar be affected?

No, however connections to and from the train operator’s primary hub at London St Pancras Worldwide might be tough as a result of union members working for all three home train operators at the station (East Midlands Railway, Southeastern and Thameslink) serving the station will stroll out.

Why is the RMT placing?

The RMT basic secretary Mick Lynch has described the newest provide from the train operators – represented by the Rail Supply Group (RDG) – as “substandard”. He stated: “This newest section of action will present the nation simply how essential railway employees are to the operating of the rail business.

”The federal government continues to shackle the corporations and won’t permit them to put ahead a bundle that may settle this dispute.

“RMT will proceed its industrial marketing campaign till we attain a negotiated settlement on pay, working circumstances and job safety.

The RMT has staged walk-outs on 30 days in the present wave of strikes, with Aslef stopping work on 13 earlier events.

Why is Aslef taking industrial action?

Mick Whelan, Aslef’s basic secretary, stated: “As soon as once more we discover ourselves with no various however to take this action. We now have frequently come to the negotiating desk in good religion, searching for to resolve the dispute.

“Sadly, it’s clear from the actions of each the train working corporations and the authorities that they are not looking for an finish to the dispute. Their objectives seem to be to proceed industrial strife and to do down our business.

“We don’t need to inconvenience the public. We simply need to see our members paid pretty throughout a value of dwelling disaster when inflation is operating at above 10 per cent, and to not see our phrases and circumstances taken away.

“It’s time for the authorities and the corporations to assume once more and search for a decision.”

What do the train operators say?

A spokesman for the RDG stated: “Extra strikes are completely pointless. After a yr of industrial action all the RMT has achieved is shedding their members extra money than they’d have obtained in the pay affords they refused to put to put out to a vote, regardless of having agreed the phrases with the negotiators the room.

“We now have now made three affords that the RMT government have blocked and not using a convincing clarification. We stay open to talks and we have now stated repeatedly that we wish to give our folks a pay rise.

“However till the union management and government is united in what it needs and engages in good religion with the 30 per cent shortfall in income the business is constant to grapple with post-Covid, it’s tough to transfer ahead.

“Sadly our employees, our prospects and the communities throughout the nation which depend on a thriving railway are the ones that are struggling because of this.”

What does the authorities say?

A spokesperson for the Division for Transport stated: “The RMT management’s resolution to name strikes concentrating on two iconic worldwide sporting occasions, as youngsters and households start their summer time holidays, will disrupt folks’s plans throughout the nation.

“After a yr of industrial action, passengers and rail employees alike are rising bored with union bosses enjoying politics with their lives.

“It’s excessive time the union leaders realised that strikes not have the impression they as soon as did and are merely driving folks away from the railway.”

I’ve a ticket booked for considered one of the RMT nationwide strike days. What can I do?

Passengers with Advance, Anytime or Off-Peak tickets can have their ticket refunded with no charge if the train that the ticket is booked for is cancelled, delayed or rescheduled.

Train operators are seemingly to provide flexibility to journey on a variety of non-strike days.

Passengers with season tickets who don’t journey can declare compensation for the strike dates by Delay Repay.

What are the alternate options?

As all the time, long-distance coach operators – Nationwide Specific, Megabus and Flixbus – will preserve operating, although seats are turning into scarce and fares are rising.