[ad_1]
Sign as much as Simon Calder’s free journey e-mail for professional recommendation and money-saving reductions
Get Simon Calder’s Travel e-mail
More rail strikes are on the way in which. Train drivers at two of the UK’s main rail companies will walk out on Friday 1 March in rows which might be separate to the long-running nationwide dispute over pay and circumstances.
The drivers are members of Aslef working for LNER, the principle operator on the East Coast primary line, and Northern – serving the north of England.
Both rail companies are state-run having been introduced again into public management after the earlier franchise holders stood apart.
Hundreds of trains will likely be cancelled as a results of the strikes. In addition, an time beyond regulation ban will apply on the earlier and following days, Thursday 29 February and Saturday 2 March.
The industrial motion has been referred to as for what Aslef described as LNER’s and Northern’s “persistent failure to comply with existing agreements”.
The Independent understands that the union is sad with what it sees as LNER’s routine use of managers to drive trains on some routes, and “toxic” native industrial relations at Northern.
Mick Whelan, basic secretary of Aslef, mentioned: “We are fed up to the back teeth with the bad faith shown, day after day, week after week, and month after month by these two companies.
“We always stick to agreements which we make. These companies think they can break agreements – which they freely enter into – whenever it suits them. And they’re wrong.
“This is a shot across their bows and a sign of things to come.
“They need to stop what they are doing, start to behave properly and honourably, because their drivers – our members – are no longer prepared to be treated like this.”
A spokesperson for LNER mentioned: “Our priority focus remains on minimising disruption to customers during Aslef strikes, which sadly will continue to cause disruption and delays.
“We encourage Aslef to continue to work with us to find a way to end this long-running dispute which only damages the rail industry.”
Tricia Williams, chief working officer at Northern, mentioned: “We’re shocked and disillusioned that strike motion has been referred to as over a neighborhood disagreement that we now have all been working positively to resolve.
“We encourage Aslef to work with us to discover a answer and keep away from additional disruption for prospects.“
Previous expertise of train drivers’ strikes means that Northern will cancel all trains on 1 March, whereas LNER will run a skeleton service with lowered hours between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh by way of York and Newcastle.
Some journeys will nonetheless be attainable on different train operators that cowl the identical routes, such as Hull Trains between London and Hull and TransPennine Express between Manchester and Leeds.
On the times affected by the time beyond regulation ban, Northern is more likely to cancel a big proportion of trains whereas LNER might cancel or curtail some services.
The Independent has requested LNER and Northern for a response.
The strike name was made inside hours of Mr Whelan inviting ministers and train operators to recent talks in a bid to avert additional nationwide rail walk-outs.
No progress has been made in talks since a suggestion was made by rail companies – and instantly rejected by Aslef – in April 2023.
Train drivers on the 14 rail companies managed by the federal government, together with LNER and Northern, have walked out repeatedly over the previous 19 months.
Aslef members at 5 train operators have simply voted overwhelmingly to proceed hanging.
[ad_2]
Source hyperlink