Train strikes – live: Disruption ‘will cost tourism, leisure and theatre sector £1bn’
Passengers have been warned not to travel by train during the disruption
JaneWalter
Passengers have been warned not to travel by train during the disruption
Grant Shapps urges rail workers not strike 'under basic lie'
Rail strikes next week could cost the tourism, leisure and theatre industries more than £1bn, the government has been told.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of industry group UK Hospitality, gave the estimate after a union confirmed industrial action would go ahead.
“At the best, we think it’s going to take a hit to hospitality revenues of over half a billion pounds,” she told Times Radio.
The industry chief added: “If you look across the whole tourism, and leisure and theatre industries as a whole, you are definitely looking at an economic hit of over a billion pounds.”
On Saturday, union leaders confirmed that next week’s rail and Tube strikes will go ahead after talks failed to resolve a bitter row over pay, jobs and conditions.
This means industrial action will hit Network Rail and 13 train operators on Tuesday, Thursday and next Saturday, as well as the London Underground on Tuesday.
Rail strikes next week could ‘cost tourism, leisure and theatre sectors over £1bn’
Next week’s rail strikes could devastate the UK’s post-Covid recovery and cost key industries over a billion pounds, the government has been told.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of industry group UK Hospitality, warned tourism and leisure businesses were already fragile after pandemic lockdowns and would take a “big hit”.
“At the best, we think it’s going to take a hit to hospitality revenues of over half a billion pounds,” she told Times Radio.
“But that presupposes that many people will travel on those shoulder days when the trains and the Tubes will still be disrupted - it could be more significant than that.
“And if you look across the whole tourism, and leisure and theatre industries as a whole, you are definitely looking at an economic hit of over a billion pounds.”
PA
Zoe Tidman18 June 2022 14:47
When do the rail strikes start?
After members of the RMT rail union voted 8:1 in favour of strike action over jobs, pay and conditions, their union has called nationwide rail strikes for three dates in late June.
Simon Calder has all the details, including when they start and what lines they are due to affect:
When do the train strikes start?
In the forthcoming strikes by Network Rail signallers, only about 20% of lines would be open for trains – many of which might not run anyway
Zoe Tidman18 June 2022 13:29
Network Rail hits out at RMT after strike announced
Network Rail has responded to news of the strike confirmation.
“Yet again the RMT union are dismissing talks before we’ve even finished, with more planned for tomorrow,” a spokesperson said on Saturday.
“We’re serious about trying to find a solution and work out a compromise that gives our people a decent pay rise, but it has to be affordable for taxpayers and farepayers.
“Union demands have so far been unobtainable, and the union seems completely focussed on ‘take’, with very little ‘give’.
“It makes negotiating extremely challenging, but we will continue to try and find a way through to try and avert this needless and damaging strike.”
Zoe Tidman18 June 2022 12:00
‘Over to you Grant Shapps'
The shadow employment rights secretary has said it is “over to you Grant Shapps” after the train strikes were confirmed:
Zoe Tidman18 June 2022 11:03
Rail and Tube strikes will go ahead next week
Next week’s rail and Tube strikes will go ahead after talks failed to resolve a row over pay, jobs and conditions, the RMT union announced.
Zoe Tidman18 June 2022 09:00
All the trains running during the rail strike
During the planned nationwide rail strikes for three dates in late June, only 22 per cent of passenger train services will run – most of them on key links to and from London.
According to the RMT, it is “the biggest dispute on the network since 1989” and will involve 40,000 workers.
A senior rail source said the plan was to run “as decent a rail service as we can”.
Only around half of Britain’s rail network will be open on strike days, from around 7.30am until 6.30pm.
At Network Rail, the infrastructure provider, the most critical roles in the day-to-day running of the railway are 5,000 signallers.
Management and other staff are expected to cover about half the network for about 11 hours per day. Many lines will see no trains.
Read the full story here.
Thomas Kingsley18 June 2022 07:00
Watch: Minister pleads with striking rail workers to negotiate
Business minister Paul Scully earlier pleaded with rail workers planning to strike next week to “get round the table” for negotiations.
Paul Scully pleads with rail workers planning to strike
Liam James18 June 2022 04:00
NHS patients urged to plan ahead for appointments during rail strikes
NHS patients in England are being urged to plan ahead for appointments as rail strikes are set to cause travel chaos next week.
Speaking ahead of the strikes, the NHS’s top doctor reminded people that “the NHS remains open” as he called on people to seek care when needed.
Millions of people are seen and treated in the NHS every week.
The strikes could have a particular impact on hospitals in London, many of which have limited parking capacity for those considering driving to appointments as an alternative.
As well as affecting patient appointments, the strikes may also hamper NHS staff commutes.
Liam James18 June 2022 01:00
Labour says ‘any strike is a failure’ ahead of rail action
Labour’s Emily Thornberry, shadow attorney general, said “any strike is a failure” as rail workers prepare for mass industrial action next week.
Ms Thornberry said it was the responsibility of government to negotiate with rail bosses and listen to their concerns.
Liam James17 June 2022 22:21
When do train strikes start?
After members of the RMT rail union voted 8:1 in favour of strike action over jobs, pay and conditions, their union has called nationwide rail strikes for three dates in late June.
Union members at Network Rail and 13 train operators will stage 24-hour walkouts on 21, 23 and 25 June.
What could the effect be? And are other disputes on the horizon?
Simon Calder,The Independent’s Travel Correspondent, brings you the key questions and answers:
When do the train strikes start?
In the forthcoming strikes by Network Rail signallers, only about 20% of lines would be open for trains – many of which might not run anyway
Liam James17 June 2022 20:00
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