Train strikes cancelled: November 2022 RMT strike action suspended - will rail services be running?

A series of planned strikes by railway workers starting this Saturday have been suspended, however rail chiefs said the network would still be “extremely limited”.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) had been due to stage 24-hour walkouts on Saturday (5 November) and next Monday (7 November) and Wednesday (9 November). Network Rail said it was too late to change the “strike timetable” for Saturday and Monday - which will likely see around a fifth of normal trains run.

The RMT said it has secured “unconditional” talks on Network Rail and the promise of a pay offer from the train operating companies. The union said the dispute remains “very much live” and it is continuing its re-ballot of members to secure a fresh mandate for action with the result due on 15 November.

What train strikes have been suspended?

The RMT has suspended three strike dates, which are:

What has the RMT said?

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The threat of strike action and our strongly supported industrial campaign has made the rail employers see sense. We have always wanted to secure a negotiated settlement and that is what we will continue to push for in this next phase of intensive talks.

“Our priority is our members, and we are working towards securing a deal on job security, a decent pay rise and good working conditions. Our re-ballot remains live and if we have to take strike action during the next six months to secure a deal, we will.”

Train services still likely to be ‘extremely limited’

Rail chiefs said services would still be “extremely disrupted”, especially on Saturday and Monday.

Tim Shoveller, Network Rail’s chief negotiator, said: “It’s welcome news that the RMT has called off its strikes but the very late notice means that services for tomorrow cannot be reinstated and will remain extremely limited, and while we, and our train company partners, will work without pause over the weekend, there will be limited ability to change the ‘strike timetable’ for Monday. Our advice remains to please check before you travel and on Saturday and Monday and only travel by rail if absolutely necessary.

“We look forward to getting back round the table with all our trades unions early next week to see if the progress made this week can be built on, and a resolution found.”

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group said: “It is positive that the RMT leadership have stepped back from the brink and called off their strike action. Unfortunately, the late notice means that while train companies are working hard to reinstate services, they will remain severely disrupted for our passengers tomorrow and into the early part of next week.

“Our advice remains to please check before you travel and on Saturday and Monday only travel by rail if necessary. We remain committed to intensive negotiations to agree the reforms needed to improve reliability, deliver a pay rise for our people and get the industry back on a sustainable financial footing.”

What is the strike timetable?

Saturday 5 November

Avanti West Coast

One train per hour between London Euston and each of Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Preston, with a limited service onwards to Glasgow. The first train of the day will depart London Euston just before 08:00 and the last train of the day from London Euston departing mid-afternoon.

North Wales, Shrewsbury, Blackpool and Edinburgh have no Avanti West Coast services. Trains will not be calling at Stockport, Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent or Runcorn, so these stations will be closed.

C2C

Two trains per hour London Fenchurch Street-Pitsea via Laindon; two trains per hour London Fenchurch Street-Pitsea via Rainham. No service to or from Ockendon or Chafford Hundred. Engineering works will mean rail replacement buses running Pitsea - Shoeburyness

Caledonian Sleeper

Trains will arrive at the destination later than usual with services to Aberdeen / Inverness / Fort William terminating at Edinburgh for replacement road transport.

Chiltern Railways

Services will run from 08:00 to 17:00 with one train per hour in each direction on the following routes:

Cross Country

East Midlands

One train per hour on the following routes:

Grand Central

No service

Great Northern

Two trains per hour on following routes:

Greater Anglia

A very limited service will run between London Liverpool Street and Norwich, Colchester, Southend Victoria and Cambridge from 07:30 and all journeys complete by 18:30. No trains on any other routes.

Great Western Railway

A “very limited service on the following routes. There will be no trains from Cardiff following the Wales v New Zealand rugby autumn test:

Hull Trains

No service

LNER

One train per hour between Doncaster and Edinburgh. Five trains daily between Docaster and Leeds.

No trains between London Kings Cross and Doncaster, with an extremely reduced service running between Doncaster and Leeds and between Doncaster and Edinburgh.

Lumo

Three trains each way between Newcastle and Edinburgh. First train departs Newcastle at 08:41, last train departs Edinburgh at 15:25.

Northern

One train per hour on the following routes:

Southeastern

Trains running on the following routes on a reduced service, earliest trains start at 07:16, last trains depart at 18:06. No other services running

Southwestern Railway

“A severely reduced service will operate between 07:30 and 18:30 only.”

Southern/Thameslink

Two trains per hour on following routes:

Transpennine Express

One train per hour between York and Huddersfield. No other services

Transport for Wales

Reduced service for essential travel only between Cardiff Central and Treherbert/Aberdare/Merthyr/Rhymney, and between Cardiff Central and Newport.

There will be no rail services from Cardiff after the Wales v New Zealand rugby..

West Midlands Railway

One train per hour in each direction between Crewe and Birmingham New Street.

Two trains per hour between Birmingham New Street and Litchfield City/Four Oaks.

One train per hour between Birmingham New Street and Bromsgrove and between Birmingham New Street and Reddicth.

Two trains per hour on Northampton-London Euston and, Bletchley-London Euston

One train per hour on Birmingham New Street-Northampton

Monday 7 November

Some operators are still finalising their timetables for 7 and 9 November. So far, the following details have been confirmed.

C2C

Trains will only run between 07:30 and 18:30. There will be two trains per hour London Fenchurch Street-Shoeburyness via Laindon, and two trains per hour London Fenchurch Street-Pitsea via Rainham.

Caledonian Sleeper

No service

Chiltern Railways

Services will run from 08:00 to 17:00 with one train per hour in each direction on the following routes: London Marylebone-Oxford Parkway; London Marylebone-Banbury; London Marylebone-Aylesbury (via High Wycombe); Aylesbury Vale Parkway-Amersham.

Cross Country

One train per hour on the following routes:

A limited service will also run on the Birmingham New Street–Newcastle/Edinburgh Waverley/Dundee/Aberdeen route, with the first train at 11.03 and last train at 13.03.

East Midlands

One train per hour on the following routes:

Grand Central

Three trains each way between London King’s Cross and Wakefield Kirkgate, departing London at 10:53, 14:56 and 15:40, and departing Wakefield at 13:00, 16:59 and 17:53.

Great Northern

Two trains per hour on following routes: St Pancras International-Bedford

Greater Anglia

A very limited service will run between London Liverpool Street and Norwich, Colchester, Southend Victoria and Cambridge from 07:30 and all journeys complete by 18:30. No trains on any other routes.

Great Western Railway

A “very limited service” will run on the following routes:

Hull trains

Very limited service between London King’s Cross and Doncaster. First train to leave in each direction at 7:30. Last train leaves London King’s Cross at 17:51.

LNER

One train every 30 minutes in each direction between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverley. One train per hour in each direction between London King’s Cross and Leeds.

Lumo

Three trains in each direction between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh. First train departs Edinburgh at 09:11, last train departs Edinburgh at 16:13.

Northern

Details to be confirmed.

Southeastern

Trains running on the following routes on a reduced service, earliest trains start at 07:16, last trains depart at 18:06. No other services running

Southwestern Railway

“A severely reduced service will operate between 07:30 and 18:30 only.”

Southern/Thameslink

Two trains per hour on following routes:

Transpennine Express

One train per hour between York and Huddersfield. No other services

Transport for Wales

Reduced service for essential travel only between Cardiff Central and Treherbert/Aberdare/Merthyr/Rhymney, and between Cardiff Central and Newport.

West Midlands Railway

One train per hour in each direction between Crewe and Birmingham New Street.

Two trains per hour between Birmingham New Street and Litchfield City/Four Oaks.

One train per hour between Birmingham New Street and Bromsgrove and between Birmingham New Street and Reddicth.

Two trains per hour on Northampton-London Euston and, Bletchley-London Euston

One train per hour on Birmingham New Street-Northampton