September and October 2023 Tube and Train Strikes: Impactful Dates and Disrupted Services Revealed

Rail Companies Affected by Strikes

If you’re wondering which rail companies are affected by the strikes, here’s a list:

• Avanti West Coast
• C2C
• Caledonian Sleeper
• Chiltern Railways
• CrossCountry
• East Midlands Railway
• Gatwick Express
• Greater Anglia
• GWR
• GTR Great Northern Thameslink
• Heathrow Express
• Island Line
• LNER
• Northern Trains
• Southeastern
• Southern
• Gatwick Express
• South Western Railway main line
• Stanstead Express
• SWR depot drivers
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains.

Tips for Travelling During Train Strikes

If you plan on traveling during the train strikes, National Rail advises that you prepare for “significant disruption.” Here are some suggestions to make your journey smoother:

• Use National Rail’s Journey Planner for up-to-date information on strike dates.
• Check the Live Trains page for the latest arrivals and departures.
• Plan ahead and double-check your entire journey, especially if you’re traveling on the first and last trains of strike days.

Closure of Train Station Ticket Offices

According to the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), almost all train station ticket offices will be closed, and staff will be reassigned to platform and concourse duties. Only the busiest stations will maintain ticket office facilities.

Posters will be displayed in stations to inform passengers about potential closures. The government will have the final say on which offices will be shut down after a consultation period. The closure process is expected to last for three years.

Reasons Behind Aslef’s Strike

Members of Aslef are engaging in industrial action to demand a pay increase. The union has criticized the government for failing to meet their negotiating team and engage in discussions regarding post-pandemic recovery. They lament the lack of communication from the Secretary of State for Transport, Huw Merriman, and the train companies.

General Secretary Mick Whelan of Aslef expressed his frustration, stating, “Do you remember Where’s Wally? Well, what we want to know is Where’s Harper? We last saw the Secretary of State for Transport in December. We last saw Huw Merriman, the Rail Minister, in January. And we last saw the train companies in April. Since then, nothing. Nada. Zilch. Not a letter, not an email, not a text message, not a phone call, not a WhatsApp. Not a word!”