Train strikes - live: Drivers at nine rail companies announce new walkout in August
Large-scale walk outs cause cancellations and delays on Wednesday and Saturday
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Your support makes all the difference.Train drivers at nine rail companies have announced a new strike in August as a dispute causing travel chaos across the country deepens.
Aslef announced its members will walk out on Saturday, 13 August, saying the firms failed to make a pay offer to help members keep pace with increases in the cost of living.
The announcement was made as strikes by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union and Transport Salaried Staffs Association crippled services on Wednesday, with only around one in five trains running and some areas having none at all.
All passengers have been warned to complete any essential journeys by rail before 6.30pm, after which very few trains will be in operation.
Disputes in the bitter row over jobs, pay, pensions and conditions are worsening, with more strikes in the coming days, and a wave of industrial action planned next month on the UK’s railways and London Underground.
Only around one in five trains have been running today, on around half of the network, with some areas having no trains all day.
Disruption is expected to carry on into Thursday morning.
Government trying to impose ‘massive cuts’, says RMT’s Mick Lynch
RMT secretary-general Mick Lynch has accused transport secretary Grant Shapps of planning to impose massive cuts on the rail network.
In an interview this morning he told GB News: “He wants massive cuts when he wanted the railway workers to keep working and put themselves in a place of danger.
“Now he’s using Covid and the effects of Covid as a reason to cut back on the railways, cut £2bn worth of funding from the National Rail, and he’s cutting £2bn from London Underground. In effect that’s causing massive disruption.
“And it’s that funding cut that he’s responsible for that is causing these disputes. If we can get back to a proper funding level, and he allows the companies to negotiate properly, we will get a settlement of this dispute, but he’s got the key.”
All the train strike dates happening this summer
The summer of travel discontent continues, with train strikes this week and more planned for August aimed at causing maximum disruption.
The industrial action involves different unions on different dates, meaning different lines and networks are affected.
Here’s every train and Tube staff walkout we know about so far:
All the train strike dates happening this summer
Industrial action is planned for rail and Tube networks in July and August
Can I get a refund if my train is cancelled due to the rail strikes?
Yes. If your scheduled train service is cancelled by the operator, you are entitled to either:
- a full refund, OR
- a free change of journey time
It doesn’t matter what type of ticket you purchased.
Even if your train isn’t cancelled, you may decide not to travel on a strike day due to the risk of disruption. If this is the case, Network Rail has confirmed you will also be able to claim a refund or change your journey time free of charge. “If you have purchased an Advance, Off-Peak or Anytime ticket and choose not to travel, you will be eligible for a change or refund from the original retailer of your ticket,” it explains on its website.
Read our full guide to rail compensation here:
Can I get a refund if my train is cancelled due to the rail strikes?
A spate of spring and summer transport strikes have caused mayhem for both commuters and UK holidaymakers. But what are you rights when it comes to getting your money back?
Rail plan: government must explain its decisions, says senior Tory MP
The Transport Select Committee’s latest report, The Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands, has been published on the same day as the latest national rail strike.
The all-party committee criticises the government’s lack of clarity on decisions to remove Leeds from HS2 and to exclude Bradford from its trans-Pennine plans.
The Tory chair of the committee, Huw Merriman, said: “Many towns and cities are already disappointed by the proposals which have been set out.
“The prime minister promised that he would, with Northern Powerhouse Rail, do for the North what he did for Londoners with Crossrail. Instead, much of the track will be an upgrade of existing line.
“The business case of HS2 was based on it going east to Leeds. Now, it stops in the East Midlands without any understanding of how much money is saved. Those we spoke to from the cities of Leeds and Bradford, in particular, do not recognise that the finalised plans meet either the promises they believe were made or the prime minister’s stated aims.
“For these cities, and the taxpayer as a whole, the government must demonstrate the rationale for its decisions. An investment of this substantial sum must be based on the best evidence and the best value for money.
“We ask government to revisit the evidence base for the decisions they have reached.”
Shapps furious about latest rail strike
As the fourth national rail strike of the summer got under way, the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “Today, union bosses are once again trying to cause as much disruption as possible to the day-to-day lives of millions of hardworking people around the country.
“What’s more, it has been cynically timed to disrupt the start of the Commonwealth Games and crucial Euro 2022 semi-finals, in a deliberate bid to impact the travel of thousands trying to attend events the whole country is looking forward to.
“Sadly, this is nothing new. In fact, in my three years as Transport Secretary, there has not been a single day when unions have not been in dispute with the rail industry by either threatening or taking industrial action with around sixty separate disputes lodged in 2022 alone.
“This country’s taxpayers stumped up £600 per household to ensure not a single rail worker lost their job during the pandemic, but tomorrow many of those very same people will forced into losing a day’s wages through no fault of their own but because of stubborn union leaders’ refusals to modernise.
“Union bosses will claim they’re willing to do a deal but how can anyone take them seriously when, earlier this month, the RMT dismissed a Network Rail offer worth 8 per cent over the next two years without even consulting their members.
“Unfortunately, it’s too late to call off today’s damaging strikes but I urge the RMT, and indeed all unions, to stop holding the country to ransom with the threat of further industrial action and get off picket lines and back round the negotiating table. If not, we risk passengers turning their backs on the railway for good.”
Wales has very few rail services
Rail passengers in Wales have very few options for travel on Wednesday due to the strike by members of the RMT union working as signallers for Network Rail. The only services are in the Cardiff area, with Transport for Wales running trains to Aberdare, Newport, Treherbert and Merthyr Tydfil, and a Great Western Railway link with London. The first departure between the Welsh and English capitals is due to arrive at London Paddington station at 9.40am.
No trains are running on the line from Cardiff west to Swansea and Carmarthen; on the lines through mid-Wales; or on the line along the North Wales coast linking Chester with Holyhead.
Birmingham New Street starting late
Trains at Birmingham New Street, at the heart of Britain’s rail network, began to run midway through the normal morning rush-hour due to the strike by members of the RMT union working for Network Rail.
The first departure, at 7.34am, was to Northampton via the city’s airport station, Birmingham International, Coventry and Rugby, with a Manchester Piccadilly service as 7.57pm.
The first Avanti West Coast train to London Euston is at 8.50am.
Some suburban services are also running, including trains to Lichfield and Redditch.
Shadow transport minister defies order to stay away from Euston picket line
Shadow transport minister Sam Tarry joined striking workers on the picket line at Euston Station in London, in defiance of Sir Keir Starmer's orders to stay away.
He told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "If we don't make a stand today, people's lives could be lost.
"Some of the lowest-paid workers are on strike today in the rail industry, safety critical workers, workers who make sure our railways get people to work and do so safely.
"It can't be accepted anymore, that people just have to accept that inflation is out of control. The government's doing nothing on the cost-of-living crisis."
Asked whether he expected to be sacked by Sir Keir, Mr Tarry said: "I've no idea what Keir will decide to do but I know this - if Keir was in government right now, this dispute wouldn't be happening."
He added: "I have absolutely 100 per cent confidence that any Labour Party MP would be in support of striking workers who have given up a day's pay, a week's pay or even longer."
Isle of Wight trains running normally
Once again, rail services on the Isle of Wight are operating normally. The 5.45am from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin departed on time and arrived at its destination, eight miles away, two minutes early.
Staff on the Island Line are not among those who are striking. They operate the signalling on the holiday island, rather than Network Rail – whose staff on the mainland are taking industrial action.
There have, though, been occasional cancellations in the past few days because of staff sickness.
Reduced services at Birmingham ahead of Commonwealth Games
At Birmingham New Street station, where passenger numbers are expected to increase with the Commonwealth Games starting tomorrow, there is a reduced list of departures during the strike action.
The boards showed the first train to London Euston station was not due to leave until 8.50am, and there were only a handful of passengers waiting on the main concourse.
A picket of RMT workers stood outside the city's distinctive signal box.
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