Britain is set to experience further disruptions in travel as 20,000 rail workers prepare for three days of strikes stemming from their ongoing pay dispute. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) members will walk out at 14 train operators across England after the companies failed to make an acceptable revised pay offer. This strike action will affect fans planning to attend two Ashes Tests and The Open Championship golf tournament next month. Additionally, train drivers at 16 rail operators have refused to work overtime for six days, posing a threat to tennis fans heading to Wimbledon.
Here are the details of the upcoming train strikes: The RMT announced that 20,000 rail workers, including station staff, train managers, and catering workers across the UK, will go on strike on July 20, 22, and 29. These three days of strikes will impact cricket fans traveling to the fourth and fifth Ashes Tests. The fourth Ashes Test is scheduled to take place at Old Trafford from Wednesday, July 19, to Sunday, July 23. The fifth Test will be held in London from Thursday, July 27, until Monday, July 31. The strikes also coincide with The Open Championship at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, which runs from Thursday, July 20, to Sunday, July 23. Meanwhile, the overtime ban imposed on Aslef train drivers will occur for six days, from Monday, July 3, to Saturday, July 8. This industrial action aligns with the first week of Wimbledon, which begins on Monday, July 3.
In May, previous strikes by RMT and Aslef caused significant disruptions for rail passengers, impacting events such as 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.
The following rail companies will be affected by the RMT strikes: Avanti West Coast, C2C, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, GTR (including Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern, and Gatwick Express), Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia (including Stansted Express), LNER, Northern Trains, Southeastern, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Trains.
Regarding the Aslef overtime ban, the level of disruption will vary for different operators. The train companies affected by this ban include Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, Cross Country, East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, GWR, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Island Line, LNER, Northern Trains, Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express, South Western Railway main line, SWR depot drivers, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Trains.
National Rail advises passengers to anticipate significant disruptions during strike days. Services are likely to be affected and may commence later on the day immediately following the strikes. To navigate these disruptions, National Rail suggests the following:
1. Utilize the Journey Planner to stay informed about each strike date, checking close to the time of travel.
2. Refer to the Live Trains page for real-time updates on arrivals and departures.
3. Plan ahead and check all aspects of your journey, especially if you will be traveling on the first and last trains of strike days.
The RMT accuses train operators of failing to present a new pay offer to resolve the ongoing industrial action. RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch expressed frustration with the lack of progress in negotiations, lamenting the absence of meetings or substantial offers from either party. Despite this, the RMT and its negotiating team remain available for talks with the train operating companies and government ministers, hoping to reach a negotiated solution.
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