Network Rail industrial action 2015.

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

Unfortunately, Network Rail has confirmed that they do not expect to be able to allow access to the following areas of the First Great Western network, and no trains will run after 0001 Monday 25 May and Tuesday 26 May. Service start up on Wednesday will also be affected:

^        North Cotswolds line, from Oxford and calling at Worcester and Hereford, or services between Didcot and Oxford

^        Beyond Plymouth to Penzance and on Devon and Cornwall branch line services
^        Reading to Gatwick Airport/Reading to Basingstoke
^        Between Swindon and Gloucester/Cheltenham
^        Between Bath Spa and Portsmouth Harbour
^        Between Reading and Taunton
^        On the Henley-on-Thames and Greenford Branch lines
^        On Severn Beach branch line

I realise that there is an overtime ban, but as the strike isn't to start until 1700 Monday, that's taking the proverbial isn't it?

There won't be any road replacement, there never is.

[Ollie]

Thanks for those lists, Ollie.

Can't see "Swindon to Westbury" nor "Westbury to Weymouth" in either list.  Can you tell me how they stand, and will there be alternative road replacement services?  Thanks!

I believe there will be no service on those routes, but I've asked for confirmation.

There won't be road transport available.

[ChrisB]

The full ptress release -

National rail strike: RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) and TSSA^» (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association - about) planned industrial action

Services expected to be significantly affected from 0001 Monday 25 to Tuesday 26 May and in the morning of Wednesday 27 May



RMT and TSSA trade union members employed by Network Rail have voted in favour of taking industrial action, which could affect rail services from 0001 Monday 25 May throughout Monday and Tuesday 26 May and will impact services on the morning of Wednesday 27 May.

We have been talking to Network Rail about the planned strike and the impact on First Great Western services. Should action go ahead is it likely to have a significant impact on our ability to run our train services throughout this period. Trains that are able to run are expected to be busy.

Full refunds will be available for customers who have already bought tickets during the industrial action period and choose not to travel, and Season Ticket holders will be compensated for any days affected.

Those with tickets for travel on Monday and Tuesday will also be able to use their ticket to travel on Sunday 24 May or Wednesday 27 May, subject to any travel restrictions that would normally apply to your ticket.

If you have an Advance Purchase ticket for Monday or Tuesday you will also able to travel on Sunday or Wednesday using the same service or one immediately before or after the booked time.

During Monday and Tuesday it is expected that services will operate at a reduced service frequency between 0730 and approximately 1830; please check timetables on the day for details of your last service.

Subject to agreement from Network Rail, we aim to operate the following:

London Thames Valley

^        Paddington ^ Didcot, calling at Slough Maidenhead (Peak only) and Reading: Every 30 mins

^        Paddington ^ Didcot, calling at Ealing Broadway, Southall Hayes and Harlington, West Drayton, Iver, Langley, Slough, Maidenhead, Twyford, Reading, Tilehurst, Pangbourne, Goring and Streatley, Cholsey and Didcot Parkway: Every 30 mins

^        Paddington ^ Reading non-stop to operate during peak time only: Every 30 mins

^        Paddington ^ Reading, calling at Acton Mainline, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall, Hayes and Harlington, West Drayton, Slough, Burnham, Taplow, Maidenhead, Twyford and Reading: Every 30 mins

^        Branch line services to Bourne End/Marlow and Windsor to run every 20/30 mins

Bristol

^        Paddington ^ Bristol Temple Meads, calling at Reading Didcot, Swindon, Chippenham, Bath and Bristol, extended to Weston-Super-Mare and Taunton during peak: Hourly

^        Swindon ^ Bristol, calling at Chippenham, Bath Spa, Oldfield Park, Keynsham, Bristol Temple Meads: Hourly

^        Bristol Parkway ^ Weston-Super-Mare, calling at Filton, Stapleton Road, Lawrence Hill, Bristol Temple Meads, Bedminster, Parson St, Nailsea and Backwell, Yatton, Worle, Weston Milton and Weston-Super-Mare: Hourly

South Wales

^        Paddington ^ Swansea on Monday and Cardiff on Tuesday, calling at Reading, Didcot Parkway, Swindon, Bristol Parkway, Newport and Cardiff: Hourly

^        Cardiff ^ Taunton, calling at Newport, Severn Tunnel Juncton, Patchway, Filton Abbey Wood, Bristol Temple Meads, Nailsea, Yatton, Worle, Weston-Super-Mare, Highbridge, Bridgwater and Taunton: Hourly

Devon and Cornwall

^        Paddington ^ Plymouth, calling at Reading, Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton, Tiverton, Exeter, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Totnes, Ivybridge (select trains only) and Plymouth: Hourly

^        Exeter ^ Newton Abbot, stopping service: Hourly

^        Sleeper services will not be able to operate on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.


Unfortunately, Network Rail has confirmed that they do not expect to be able to allow access to the following areas of the First Great Western network, and no trains will run after 0001 Monday 25 May and Tuesday 26 May. Service start up on Wednesday will also be affected:

^        North Cotswolds line, from Oxford and calling at Worcester and Hereford, or services between Didcot and Oxford

^        Beyond Plymouth to Penzance and on Devon and Cornwall branch line services


^        Reading to Gatwick Airport/Reading to Basingstoke


^        Between Swindon and Gloucester/Cheltenham


^        Between Bath Spa and Portsmouth Harbour


^        Between Reading and Taunton


^        On the Henley-on-Thames and Greenford Branch lines


^        On Severn Beach branch line


Please note that it is unlikely that we will be able to honour seat reservations on these days, but should you choose to alter your travel plans we can change the reservation without penalty.

For the very latest information please continue to check this page or National Rail Enquiries at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

[ChrisB]

The way I read that is that seasons will be compensated for Monday/Tuesday (and possibly Wednesday if the AM seriously disrupted).

The Rover will probably get extra days if you want them or a full refund if choosing not to travel.

[Ollie]

Thanks for those lists, Ollie.

Can't see "Swindon to Westbury" nor "Westbury to Weymouth" in either list.  Can you tell me how they stand, and will there be alternative road replacement services?  Thanks!

I believe there will be no service on those routes, but I've asked for confirmation.

There won't be road transport available.

Confirmed - no service.

[IndustryInsider]

Even if the strike does go ahead, at least we won't be the only ones:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32810896

[broadgage]

With the limited service available, I hope that ALL the trains that do run will be of the maximum permitted length. In view of the number of services that cant be run, there should be no shortage of stock.

[ChrisB]

All the turbo stock at Oxford will be trapped....

[IndustryInsider]

All the turbo stock at Oxford will be trapped....

Even so, there should be plenty of units available to ensure full length turbo trains of 6-cars on all of the special services planned - perhaps even longer (8/9 car) on some services, i.e. the Paddington to Reading non-stop ones if they are to be Turbo operated?

[grahame]

Thanks for those lists, Ollie.

Can't see "Swindon to Westbury" nor "Westbury to Weymouth" in either list.  Can you tell me how they stand, and will there be alternative road replacement services?  Thanks!

I believe there will be no service on those routes, but I've asked for confirmation.

There won't be road transport available.

Confirmed - no service.

Thanks for that ... and for double checking.   We can at least make sure the message gets around (hopefully without turning off traffic if the service runs - does anyone have an educated guess as to whether the action will go ahead?)

[ChrisB]

Totally up to the Politicos I guess - now NR^» (Network Rail - home page) is Government-owned.

Either they'll tell NR to settle, or they won't. The union is up for a fight though, so definitely Government choice.

[Tim]

Do I understand correctly that the Strike is from 1700 on Monday to 1700 on Tuesday, but that it looks like some trains will be running on my line (Bristol-Bath-Paddington) on Tuesday morning when the strike is supposedly happening, but that late Tuesday evening after the strike is over there will not be any trains?

 

[ray951]

Totally up to the Politicos I guess - now NR^» (Network Rail - home page) is Government-owned.

Either they'll tell NR to settle, or they won't. The union is up for a fight though, so definitely Government choice.

If you think this is true then it will go-ahead as
a) It will give the Govt an excuse/reason (take your pick) to introduce the new strike laws promised in their manifesto
b) the amount offered to NR staff, assuming RPI^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context)) is greater than 1%, is more than has been offered to other Public Sector employees and they wouldn't want that. (Note RPI is currently 0.9%).
c) The ever increasing NR debt is going to have to be addressed and higher pay awards are only going to add to that, so the Govt will want to try and keep that in check using pay awards as has happened with the rest of the Public Sector.

[ChrisB]

Yep, that's the way I see it too.

Question (poss for another thread) - If RPI^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context)) also goes negative in July, will the price of seasons next January drop? Tories promised no 'rise' in prices - taken to mean RPI% each year, rather than a freeze in prices.

[grahame]

Do I understand correctly that the Strike is from 1700 on Monday to 1700 on Tuesday, but that it looks like some trains will be running on my line (Bristol-Bath-Paddington) on Tuesday morning when the strike is supposedly happening, but that late Tuesday evening after the strike is over there will not be any trains?

The union's directive is telling people not to start a shift in those times - so on Tuesday evening they'll still be on strike.    Looks like the operating plans are to concentrate available resources into the daytime.