Avanti passengers are being warned that train services will be “significantly disrupted” this weekend due to the latest round of strike action targeting Sundays for the next four months.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at Avanti West Coast will launch a series of Sunday walkouts in a dispute over rest day working. Avanti urged its customers to travel either side of this Sunday (January 12), which marks the start of strike action every Sunday until May 25 and will affect the intercity operator’s services across the west coast.
A reduced timetable will be in place on the strike days – with fewer services running during limited operating hours. As a result, the trains which will run are expected to be busy. With planned engineering works taking place on most of these Sundays, timetables for each strike date may vary and take longer to be finalised.
On Sunday (January 12), Avanti West Coast will run one train per hour between Euston and each of Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and Preston. A limited service will operate between Glasgow and Carlisle. In addition, rail replacement buses will run between Carlisle and Preston due to planned engineering work.
These trains will operate during limited hours – with the first train of the day departing Euston after 8am and the last train of the day from Euston departing before 5pm.
Avanti West Coast services face disruption every Sunday until May 25th due to strikes
(Image: PA)
The significantly reduced timetable will mean North Wales, Blackpool and Edinburgh, Stoke-on-Trent and Macclesfield will have no Avanti West Coast services. Lancaster and destinations in the Lake District (Oxenholme and Penrith) will not be served by Avanti West Coast on 12 January due to planned engineering work.
With fewer services running during shorter hours of operation, trains are expected to be busy, and customers are strongly advised to travel either side of the strike day. Customers who do travel should plan ahead, expect disruption, and check the details of their last train home.
Customers with existing tickets for January 12 can travel any time from Saturday, January 11, up to and including Tuesday, January 14. Alternatively, if customers who booked tickets to travel on the strike day before industrial action was announced (December 17) would rather not travel, they can claim a full, fee-free refund from their point of purchase.
Kathryn O’Brien, Executive Director of Customer Experience at Avanti West Coast, said: “We’re disappointed by the RMT calling strike action for an extended period when our customers may be working, visiting family and friends, or enjoying days out. As a result, they will face significantly disrupted journeys during this time. I would like to thank them for their patience and understanding.
“On the strike days we’ll have a reduced service, so customers with tickets for those days are strongly advised to travel on alternative dates or claim a full fee-free refund. We remain open to working with the RMT to resolve the dispute.”