Train strike: Rail commuters set to endure the worst industrial action in decades as RMT workers at five major rail companies walk out

Strike action: Union members at five companies are walking out
Rex Features
Chloe Chaplain8 November 2017

Commuters across the UK are set to endure the worst train strike in decades after workers at five major rail companies walked out on Wednesday morning.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union on Southern, South Western Railway and Greater Anglia are staging a 48-hour strike while a 24-hour walk-out will be held by staff at Merseyrail and Arriva Rail North.

Rail companies have assured customers that many services will not be affected, but several routes into London are set to face disruption and cancellations – with passengers encouraged to seek alternative travel.

And some of the capital’s busiest rail stations will be packed with commuters attempting to travel on reduced services.

Busy: Commuters ride a crowded South Western Railway train on the Portsmouth to London line
PA

The walk-out – which is the latest in an on-going row over the role of train guards and driver-only trains – went ahead after talks between the union and transport bosses broke down.

The biggest disruption is threatened at SWR, which only took over the franchise from South West Trains in August, with more than a third of services set to be hit.

Strike: Clapham Junction
Jeremy Selwyn

Southern will operate a limited service on some routes but lines into London are expected to be largely unaffected.

Greater Anglia claim they will still be running a full service because 60 per cent of their trains don't have conductors and they have trained extra staff to cover conductors on trains that do.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash accused rail companies of spreading their remaining workforces too thinly to cover the strike action.

Southern Rail strike: December 2016

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He said: "The only way that Greater Anglia can be running these services is through taking serious risks with public safety just as they did during the last phase of strike action.

Which lines are affected?

South Western Railway plans to run two thirds of its regular timetabled 1,700 services. Some trains will be cancelled and replaced by buses, while others will be busier than usual.

Services on most Southern Rail routes will operate normally, but there will be some alterations, including a limited service on the west London line at peak times.

Greater Anglia is planning a full service after claiming it has trained taff to cover those striking.

Most Merseyrail services will run between 7am and 7pm, but there will be a break in service during the middle of the day, and some stations will be closed.

The majority of Arriva Rail North will run between 7am and 7pm - around 65 per cent of the normal weekday timetable.

National Express said more people were booking to travel by coach this week in areas affected by the strikes.

"Rail companies are training up rail staff who have previously had no rail operational experienced to stand in as highly trained guards.

"In some cases staff are being bussed in by other train companies not involved in the dispute, paid a bounty and put up overnight in hotels."

A Transport Department spokesman said the union was “attempting to disrupt passengers as part of its political game” and disputed that the strike is about jobs and safety.

“In fact at Southern Rail, where these changes have already been introduced, there are now more staff on trains,” he said. "The independent rail regulator has said driver-controlled trains, which have been used in this country for more than 30 years, are safe."

His comments came after Labour told the five rail operators that the party will halt any future plans to extend driver-only operations if it wins the next general election.

Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said in a letter that guards are vital for duties such as helping passengers who need assistance.

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