Monday’s rail services continue to be severely affected despite the cancellation of several planned strikes.
Union members’ planned strikes on November 5, 7, and 9 over salary and working conditions have been canceled, although travelers are still asked to verify whether their trains are running.
The bulk of railway operators is operating on a reduced schedule, with only a few offering a normal schedule.
Some Wednesday services may also be interrupted.
The operators were informed that the strikes would end on Friday, but they agree on train driver schedules a week in advance.
The Rail Delivery Group, which represents railway companies, stated that due to the short notice, “train driver availability on Monday will be extremely difficult and will solely rely on volunteers.”
Only two of the fourteen train companies that were expected to be affected by the strike will operate normally: C2C and Greater Anglia.
Great Western Railway (GWR) stated that it was working diligently to restore services, but alterations to Monday’s schedule were “unlikely” due to “the short notice.”
It was indicated that additional information about Wednesday would be given shortly.
In the meanwhile, West Midlands Railway announced that a reduced service would be in effect on Monday, while efforts were underway to determine the “amount of service” it could provide on Wednesday.
On Monday, South Eastern Railway services will begin later and end sooner than usual, and there will be no service on the Sheerness and Medway Valley lines.
South Western Railway stated that it was too late to restore full service on Monday, therefore trains will only operate between 07:00 and 19:00 GMT.
On Wednesday and Thursday, however, it was verified that all services would operate normally.
Customers are advised by train companies to verify services before travel and to conduct further checks on the day of their trip.
Negotiations
The RMT union announced on Friday that it has called off the strikes after the rail operating companies “promised an offer” on compensation and that it will engage in “intense negotiations” with the operators and Network Rail.
The chair of the Rail Delivery Group, Steve Montgomery, stated on Thursday that the train companies were “moving up to” making an offer to the labor unions.
However, rail employers and the government both stated that their stance remained unchanged.
Significantly, this is the first occasion in the RMT’s protracted disagreement that a strike has been suspended to facilitate future negotiations.
New rail minister Huw Merriman stated on Thursday that the government would “work positively and constructively” to resolve the continuing train conflicts.
