Travel disruptions in Britain will escalate next month as 20,000 rail workers prepare for a three-day strike over pay issues. The Rail, Maritime, and Transport union (RMT) members will walk out at 14 train operators in England after failed negotiations for a revised pay offer.
The upcoming strikes will affect fans planning to attend two Ashes Tests and The Open Championship golf tournament in July. In addition, train drivers at 16 rail operators have committed to a six-day overtime refusal, creating potential disruptions for tennis fans heading to Wimbledon.
When are the next train strikes?
The RMT announced that 20,000 rail workers, including station staff, train managers, and catering workers across the UK, will strike on July 20, 22, and 29.
The three-day strike will directly impact cricket fans traveling to the fourth and fifth Ashes Tests. The fourth Test will take place at Old Trafford from July 19 to July 23, and the fifth Test in London will run from July 27 to July 31.
These strikes also coincide with The Open Championship at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, which will be held from July 20 to July 23.
Meanwhile, the Aslef train drivers’ overtime ban, lasting for six days from July 3 to July 8, will directly affect the first week of Wimbledon.
In May, strikes by RMT and Aslef caused significant disruptions for rail passengers, including those attending the FA Cup final, the Epsom Derby, Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” world tour concert at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the Eurovision final in Liverpool.
Which rail companies are affected?
The RMT members will strike at 14 rail companies, including Avanti West Coast, C2C, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, GTR (which includes 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. GTR operates Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern, and Gatwick Express services.
The level of disruption caused by the Aslef overtime ban will vary among different operators. The affected train companies are Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, 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.
Advice for traveling during train strikes
National Rail advises passengers to anticipate “significant disruption” during strike days, with delays expected on the day following the strike as well.
National Rail suggests the following tips for passengers:
- Utilize the Journey Planner tool and check close to the time of each strike date.
- Visit the Live Trains page for real-time information about arrivals and departures.
- Plan ahead and check your entire journey, especially if you’re traveling on the first and last trains of strike days.
Why are 20,000 rail workers striking again?
The RMT accuses train operators of failing to present a satisfactory new pay offer, prolonging the ongoing industrial action.
Mick Lynch, the general secretary of RMT, stated, “My team of negotiators and I are available 24/7 for talks with the train operating companies and government ministers. Yet, remarkably, neither party has made any effort to arrange meetings or provide a decent offer to facilitate a negotiated solution.”
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