Network Rail industrial action 2015.

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

My main peeve with this, is that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't believe in bank holidays, but Stagecoach do and as such, the buses run a sunday service. The number of X46 runs on that day can be counted on a blind butchers hand.

I don't hold anyone to blame for it, though. People are angry, and will lawfully express it, one way or another.

.......and the timing, just after a Tory election victory, is an amazing coincidence! 

[Rapidash]

My main peeve with this, is that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't believe in bank holidays,

I don't get what you mean by this comment?

They run the standard weekday service, rather than a sunday service. I assume the rest of the network is like that

[JayMac]

My main peeve with this, is that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't believe in bank holidays, but Stagecoach do and as such, the buses run a sunday service. The number of X46 runs on that day can be counted on a blind butchers hand.

I don't hold anyone to blame for it, though. People are angry, and will lawfully express it, one way or another.

.......and the timing, just after a Tory election victory, is an amazing coincidence! 

Coincidence is exactly what it is. The ballot for industrial action was called by the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) in April before they, or anyone, knew what colour the next Parliament was going to be.

[bobm]

The ballot for industrial action was called by the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) in April before they, or anyone, knew what colour the next Parliament was going to be.

...even the pollsters! 

[TaplowGreen]

My main peeve with this, is that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't believe in bank holidays, but Stagecoach do and as such, the buses run a sunday service. The number of X46 runs on that day can be counted on a blind butchers hand.

I don't hold anyone to blame for it, though. People are angry, and will lawfully express it, one way or another.

.......and the timing, just after a Tory election victory, is an amazing coincidence! 

Coincidence is exactly what it is. The ballot for industrial action was called by the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) in April before they, or anyone, knew what colour the next Parliament was going to be.

.....fair point.....I should have said just after the election of a new Government......you can guarantee the Unions will have a go, whatever the colour......they've already started the process of choosing the new Labour leader on both sides of the border!!!

[JayMac]

Arriva Trains Wales are first out of the blocks with their contingency plan:

http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/IndustrialAction/

Interesting to note from that, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are planning on running hourly services in both directions on Tuesday 26th between Cardiff and London, and Bristol TM^‡(resolve) and London.

That suggests FGW have drawn up a contingency plan for public consumption, just not yet published it.



EDIT: Just had a reply from @FGW. They are just finalising their plans

[John R]

Interesting to note from that, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are planning on running hourly services in both directions on Tuesday 26th between Cardiff and London, and Bristol TM^‡(resolve) and London.

It's somewhat ambiguous. It could refer to a separate hourly service between Cardiff and Bristol TM, which would be "in area" for ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))).

[BRIChris]

I am going to potentially be caught right up in this strike. A few friends and I have planned a bike ride across North Devon over this weekend which involves a journey by train from Exeter to Bristol on the Monday evening - we had planned to get back to Bristol at about 8pm.

While changing travel plans by train isn't normally too bad, we obviously have the added caveat that we all have bikes! I have been sensible and booked us all bike spaces on an earlier train getting back to Bristol a few hours before the strike is due to start, but I am wondering/pensive/cautious as to how early the effects of the strike may start to set in, and whether in such unusual circumstances, whether the reservations will be upheld.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) have not at the time of writing published anything that I can find to do with contingency plans for the strike... so it's a bit of a waiting game at the moment to see if I'll have to make a contingency plan for our contingency plan!

They run the standard weekday service, rather than a sunday service. I assume the rest of the network is like that

Could someone please correct me if I'm wrong (and I may be about to learn another new thing on here!) but is it so trains are in the correct places for the next day's service? As I always thought a Sunday evening service winds down so that trains are in the same place on a Sunday night as they would be on a Monday night for the next weekday? Or have I just made this up?

[ChrisB]

I understand that TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) will publish a timetable once they lnow it's going ahead, which I would guess will be Friday - however manyvare saying they'll publish more details during tomorrow...?

Chiltern published at thecweekend, so they were firstcout if the blocks

[a-driver]

I suppose also, a lot more thought and planning will go into a timetable for the larger operators covering many signalling centre areas than say the likes of C2C and a TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) can't really begin to plan a timetable until NR^» (Network Rail - home page) confirm their exact staffing levels during the strike.

[tomL]

A notice has gone out on the open rail data community warning system maintainers to expect a large flow of schedule updates and modifications over the next few days.

Should be interesting to see what comes of it all!

[ChrisB]

RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) Notice to members

Our Ref: HSR/4/2Head Office Circular: NP/091/15

20th May 2015

The Secretary

ALL BRANCHES

ALL REGIONAL COUNCILS

 

Dear Colleague

NETWORK RAIL DISPUTE ^ SERIOUS AND IMMINENT DANGER

Members of the RMT working for Network Rail will be engaging in industrial action as follows:

To take 24 hours of industrial action by not booking on for duty on any shift from 1700 hours on 25/05/2015 until 1659 hours on 26/05/2015.

To take industrial action by not working any overtime or additional hours or any extended shifts and by not undertaking any call-outs for 48 hours between 0001 hours on 25/05/2015 and 2359 hours on 26/05/2015.

During these periods we believe Network Rail will attempt to run a railway service by using managers to cover safety critical roles and in particular to cover Electrical Control Rooms, signal boxes and signalling centres and train dispatch with managers who we fear may not be fully competent to carry out the safety critical tasks that are so important in protecting staff, passengers and the general public.

These cover arrangements will clearly impact on the operational safety of staff working outside of Network Rail but working on the railway infrastructure. Roles that may be affected in this way by the dispute include, but may not be limited to, train drivers, guards, infrastructure workers, other on-board staff and train dispatch staff.

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSW), Regulation 8(1) employers have a duty to establish procedures to be followed in the event of serious and imminent danger to persons at work such procedures are sometimes known as Worksafe Procedures.

A guide to your rights in this regard are contained in the following RMT publication:

http://www.rmt.org.uk/news/publications/serious-and-imminent-dangers/

Should you, as an individual, feel that as part of your duties you are placing yourself in serious or imminent danger during the dispute you should comply with your company^s policy as required by the MHSW. Attached to this circular is a pro-forma should you wish to record your concerns in writing to your management.

Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all relevant members.

Yours sincerely
 Mick Cash

General Secretary     

http://www.rmt.org.uk/healthandsafety


To^ Line Manager

From^

Workplace^.

INDUSTRIAL ACTION BY RMT MEMBERS EMPLOYED BY NETWORK RAIL IN MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS GRADES

I am genuinely concerned for the safety of myself and others due to my belief that I may be placed at risk of serious and imminent danger by Network Rail^s use of unqualified staff who do not possess the necessary competencies to cover safety critical duties. I believe that you have a duty to provide me with a safe system of work and I would ask that you ensure that the arrangements you have in place adequately protect my safety.

I would therefore request that I am allocated alternative duties for which I am trained and licensed for until such time as the procedures contained in the company^s procedure to protect against serious and imminent danger have been carried out and I believe that my safety is adequately protected.


Signed^..

Date^

and NRE^‡(resolve) current advice

Members of the RMT and TSSA^» (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association - about) Unions that work for track and infrastructure operator Network Rail have announced that they are planning to take industrial action on Bank Holiday Monday 25 May and Tuesday 26 May. However, further talks between Network Rail and the Trades Unions are currently taking place, which may still lead to resolution of the dispute.

Should the industrial action go ahead there is likely to be severe disruption to rail services on Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 May, although this is likely to vary considerably by route, so you are strongly advised to check with the relevant train company before travelling.

More information on the timetables that will operate on the 25 and 26 May will be available on this page of the National Rail Enquiries website from the afternoon of Thursday 21 May onwards. Please note, that as the planned industrial action will affect routes differently (because of differing rail signaling systems, for instance), it is likely that more information will be available on some routes than others. Full timetables for the 25 and 26 May are currently expected to be available from Saturday 23 May onwards. [my emphasis]

We appreciate that many customers will have their travel plans disrupted by the planned industrial action, so train companies have agreed to put in place special ticketing arrangements to make it easier for you to complete your journey, should the industrial action go ahead. Please see details below:

If the industrial action goes ahead and you already have a valid Anytime, Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak ticket valid for travel on either the Monday 25 or Tuesday 26 May you will be able to use your ticket for travel on Sunday 24 May or Wednesday 27 May, subject to any travel restrictions that would normally apply to your ticket on those days.

If you have an Advance ticket for travel on Monday 25 or Tuesday 26 May, you will also be able to travel on either Sunday 24 May or Wednesday 27 May. However, if you travel on either of these two, alternative days, you must use the same train service that you would have used on the 25 or 26 May, or the services immediately before or after this service.

Some train companies will be putting in place additional local ticketing arrangements, so please check with the train company you^ll be using before travelling.

If you already have a ticket valid for travel on any of the days potentially affected by the planned industrial action and no longer wish to travel, the retailer that sold you your ticket will provide you with a full refund. Alternatively you can exchange it for another ticket (once you^ve paid any difference in price). If you want to obtain a refund or exchange your ticket please ask the retailer from whom you purchased your ticket.

If you have a Season Ticket you will be entitled to compensation. As these arrangements vary by train company, please check with your train company on the compensation you will be entitled to.

To get the latest travel and other information, go to www.nationalrail.co.uk, download the NRE app, follow us on Twitter @nationalrailenq or using the hashtag #IndustrialAction or speak to your train operator.

Now, season compensation. With flexible working, and some of us working on Monday, I wonder whether the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) will offer two days compensation?

[bobm]

And what about those with multi day Rover Tickets?

[Ollie]

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

[grahame]

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

[snip]

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:

[snip]

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!