Rail strikes called off: what does it mean for your journey?

Hours before the next round of national rail strikes was due to begin, the RMT union called off the action – saying it has “secured unconditional talks on Network Rail and the promise of an offer from the train operating companies”.

But the decision has come too late to reinstate many of the widespread train cancellations that have been made because of the strikes.

Which strikes have been called off?

Strikes had been planned by staff working for Network Rail on Saturday 5, Monday 7 and Saturday 9 November, with staff at 14 train operators stopping work on 5 and 9 November.

The union says: “We were written to on Friday by Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group, the same day we suspended the action.”

It “will now enter into a period of intensive negotiations with Network Rail and the train operating companies”.

So back to a normal service, then?

Far from it. The first cancellation as a result of the national strikes, Friday’s 5.30pm Grand Central from Sunderland to London, went ahead two hours after the industrial action was called off, and over the weekend many thousands of trains were cancelled.

On Saturday, for example, South Western Railway, ran one in five planned trains on only two routes: London Waterloo to and from Southampton and Windsor.

The company says: “We understand our customers’ frustration at the late start up caused by the now-cancelled RMT strike action.

“Timetables are meticulously planned to ensure trains run safely, have to be coordinated by Network Rail nationally and are finalised a week in advance.

“They rely on complex resourcing plans for drivers, guards, signallers, engineers and trains, so reintroducing train services with confidence relies on over 1,000 individual plans working together to ensure we have the right trains, guards and drivers in the right place throughout the day.

“We are also reliant on guard and driver colleagues volunteering to change their rostered shift-patterns at short notice.”

The vast majority of trains were cancelled across Great Britain on Saturday. Thousands of trains were axed on Monday and hundreds more early on Tuesday morning.

The message is: do not begin any journey until you have confirmation your trains will run.

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, representing train operators, said: “The late notice means that while train companies are working hard to reinstate services, they will remain severely disrupted for our passengers into the early part of next week.”

So while much of the railway is fully staffed, the crucial element of trains may not appear: the schedules are already “baked in”.

Disruption will continue until Thursday.

By Wednesday, the final day of the planned strikes, some train operators are back to a near-normal service.

Which trains are running on intercity lines?

Great Western Railway (GWR), connecting London Paddington with South Wales and the West of England, plans a full service but says: “There may be some short-notice changes.”

LNER, which runs on the East Coast main line from London to Yorkshire, northeast England and Scotland, says it will be “running a largely normal timetable on Wednesday 9 November” but “there will still be a small impact on some services.”

Avanti West Coast has reinstated a number of trains between London, the West Midlands and northwest England for Wednesday, but warns people thinking of attempting journeys: “We strongly advise you to only travel by rail if absolutely necessary.

“If your journey is essential, please plan ahead as your entire journey will likely be severely disrupted.”

On Thursday morning Avanti has reinstated dozens of trains, including early departures from Manchester to London.

East Midlands Railway, linking Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham and Leicester with London, says it plans to run a near-normal service but warns “there may be a small number of short notice alterations”.

Is it all sweetness and light in the rail industry now?

Far from it. Industrial action in separate disputes involving members working for London Underground and London Overground will severely disrupt travel in the capital on 10 November.

RMT members employed by Network Rail at the Thames Valley Signal Centre will strike on Saturday 19 and Monday 21 November. GWR says: “A reduced service will operate between 07:30 and 18:30 on most parts of the GWR network, and the last trains will be earlier than usual.”

Further strikes by the drivers’ union, Aslef, appear likely. Mick Whelan, the general secretary, said: “We remain in talks but no resolution is on the immediate horizon so we will have to keep fighting and making our point industrially.”

Aslef has withdrawn all non-contractual overtime at LNER on the East Coast main line from Sunday 27 November.

Nationally, the RMT is conducting a ballot to extend the mandate on industrial action, saying “the current dispute remains very much live”. It is telling members: “Your employer is planning the biggest attack on your pay and working conditions for 20 years, in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.

In addition, morale across the rail industry is low, with several train operators reporting higher-than-normal levels of staff sickness.

TransPennine Express is running a reduced timetable to 10 December at the earliest, with dozens of additional short-notice cancellations.

Avanti West Coast is also operating a significantly reduced schedule as most drivers are choosing not to work on their rest day.

Staff at ScotRail are currently refusing overtime as part of a dispute over pay. ScotRail says: “The action short of a strike will see some daily cancellations, as the operation of ScotRail services requires rest day working and overtime as recruitment continues.”