Train drivers’ strike: Which rail services are running during 30 July walkout?
London Overground and Southeastern will run no trains at all, while Chiltern plans to operate a full schedule
FrankLin
Train drivers working for eight train operators and who are members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Aslef) will walk out on Saturday 30 July. There will also be an impact on Sunday 31 July.
These are the key questions and answers.
Which train operators are affected – and why?
Aslef called the strike “after train companies failed to make a pay offer to keep pace with the increase in the cost of living”.
Drivers working for the following train operators will strike:
Will any trains run at all for those companies?
Not on London Overground or Southeastern.
Andy Lord, chief operating officer for Transport for London, said: “Planned strike action on the national rail network on Saturday will mean disruption for our customers. With no service expected on the entire London Overground network, I advise all customers to check before they travel and use alternative routes to complete their journeys.”
In the capital, there are generally options for all journeys that would normally involve the London Overground – though these are likely to take much longer.
Southeastern, which normally runs between London, East Sussex and Kent, says: “There will be no Southeastern services running on the rail network. Please do not attempt to travel by train on this day.”
However, a number of locations – including Hastings and stations on the line to Ashford International – are accessible on Southern services.
Where will the strike be most keenly felt?
On Great Western Railway (GWR) and London North Eastern Railway (LNER) – key intercity operators which would expect to have hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers booked on their services.
What is happening on GWR?
The operator says: “Please make alternative travel arrangements and only travel if absolutely necessary” on Sunday as well as Saturday.
Normally tens of thousands of families would be on trains in southwest England and South Wales.
On Saturday an extremely limited service will only operate on the Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington route, with addition links from Reading to Oxford and Basingstoke.
No trains will run to and from South Wales, the Cotswolds, Devon or Cornwall.
On Sunday there will be no trains from Swindon to Gloucester nor from Oxford to Worcester or Hereford, with a reduced service on other routes.
“Services will start later and finish earlier than normal and are expected to be extremely busy,” says the company.
Is LNER running much?
On Saturday 30 July, only one LNER train will run from Leeds to London King’s Cross – at 7.15am. But there will be a train every two hours on the main Edinburgh-Newcastle-York-London line, and additional hourly services between York and the English capital.
No trains north of Edinburgh into Scotland, but ScotRail Services are available.
What about Greater Anglia?
One train per hour from Norwich, Southend and London Liverpool Street for most of the day, roughly 8am to 8pm, but a longer service to and from Stansted airport – though these are likely to be extremely crowded.
Is any operator planning a normal service?
Yes. Chiltern Railways, which links the West Midlands and Chilterns with London Marylebone, says it intends to run a normal schedule. But it warns: “Services will be exceptionally busy and some services may be cancelled at short notice on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 due to industrial action and train crew shortages.
“Customers are urged to seek alternative modes of transport and only travel if essential.
“Due to strike action on other operating companies coinciding with the first weekend of the Commonwealth Games, customers should expect to queue at stations in the West Midlands and are advised to plan ahead, check their train before they travel and allow extra time for their journey.”
What about West Midlands Trains?
Only a special shuttle between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International will run. Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry trains are expected to run normally, allowing some passengers to travel – though you may need to buy new tickets.
