Yahoo News Major rail disruption as strike action sees no trains between Bristol and Birmingham
Rail passengers in Bristol face major disruption tomorrow (Wednesday) as strikes continue by train drivers in a near two-year long pay dispute. There will be no CrossCountry trains running between Bristol Temple Meads and Birmingham New Street on May 8.
CrossCountry Trains is one of 16 passenger operators still in dispute with ASLEF, the train driver’s union. Strike action is set to take place from today (May 7) and Thursday (May 9), in a series of one-day strikes.
ASLEF union members will also refuse any overtime they are not contracted to work between May 6 and 11, which could cause delays and cancellations. Wednesday’s strike action impacting the CrossCountry service is set to be the only that will impact Bristol directly. This will also impact passengers travelling to Bristol Parkway and Cheltenham Spa.
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Passengers are being urged to check before attempting to travel by train this week. ASLEF members are striking over pay and have not seen a salary increase in five years. The dispute is now the longest ever in the rail industry.
Striking train drivers are set to picket at Bristol Parkway station between 9am and 1pm and at Bristol Temple Meads between 10am and 2pm tomorrow (Wednesday).
Following a vote in February in favour of strike action, Mick Whelan, ASLEF’s general secretary said that train operators were invited for talks but refused. He said: “It is now a year since we sat in a room with the train companies – and a year since we rejected the risible offer they made and which they admitted, privately, was designed to be rejected.
“Our pay deals at these companies ran out in 2019. Train drivers at these TOCs have not had an increase in salary for five years. That is completely wrong. The employers – and the government – think we are going to give up and run away. They're wrong. In the words of Tom Petty, we won’t back down”
Steve Hopkinson, CrossCountry's Service Delivery Director, said: "We’re sorry to customers impacted by this latest round of industrial action. While we’re working hard to run as many services as possible over these days, there is likely to be significant disruption for people planning to travel – especially on Thursday 9 May.
“I’d ask those planning to travel to check their journey in advance, as well as on the day. Customers can visit the CrossCountry website or National Rail Enquiries for the latest travel information.”
Tickets purchased before Monday, April 22 for travel between today (May 7) and Thursday (May 9) can instead be used on any day between now and Monday (May 13).
