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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Travel
Helen Coffey

Train strikes: All the rail walkout dates happening this summer

PA Wire

The summer of travel discontent continues, with train strikes planned for August and aimed at causing maximum disruption.

The industrial action involves different unions on different dates, meaning various UK lines and networks are affected.

Here’s every train and Tube staff walkout we know about so far.

Saturday 13 August

Who is striking?

This Saturday will see a 24-hour walkout by members of the Aslef union.

Those going on strike include transport staff working for:

  • Avanti West Coast
  • CrossCountry
  • Greater Anglia
  • Great Western Railway
  • Hull Trains
  • LNER
  • London Overground
  • Southeastern
  • West Midlands Trains

Which trains are affected?

Many services run by the above operators. For Greater Anglia’s network, football fans attending Norwich City’s away game at Hull have been warned to plan ahead and prepare to make alternative route plans. Timetables of services running on Saturday are set to be published on Tuesday 9 August. With the London Overground impacted, other TfL London lines are expected to be much busier than usual.

There is also likely to be a knock-on effect for services early on Sunday morning.

Thursday 18 August

Who is striking?

Around 40,000 members of the RMT union who work for Network Rail and 14 train operators. These are:

  • Chiltern Railways
  • CrossCountry
  • Greater Anglia
  • LNER
  • East Midlands Railway
  • c2c
  • Great Western Railway
  • Northern Trains
  • South Eastern
  • South Western Railway
  • TransPennine Express
  • Avanti West Coast
  • West Midlands Trains
  • GTR (including Gatwick Express)
  • London Overground
  • Great Western Railway
  • Hull Trains
  • London Northwestern Railway

The workers comprise a wide range of employees from cleaners and station staff to signallers and guards.

On top of this, 18 and 20 June will see strike action by around 2,500 members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA); as well as electrical control room operatives with the Unite union.

Which lines are affected?

The UK rail network will not shut down completely, but most trains will be cancelled across England, Wales and Scotland. The impact is set to be similar to the June rail strikes, which saw around one fifth of train services running, and huge swathes of the country, such as Cornwall and the southwest, largely disconnected.

Some services late on the evening before (17 August) and earlier services on the mornings after (19 August) the strike will also be disrupted.

Friday 19 August

Who is striking?

On the Friday between these major UK rail strikes, a Tube strike has been planned by members of the RMT union working for the London Underground.

The union says the industrial action has been prompted by “TfL’s refusal to share the details of a draft government proposal they received regarding funding of the transport system in the capital, in secret and without any discussion with their recognised trade unions”.

Which lines are affected?

Previous strikes have closed almost all Tube services in the capital, with knock-on effects the following day. Expect to make other arrangements to get around London.

Buses are already crowded on Tube strike days, but 19 August will also see more than 1,600 London bus drivers (members of Unite and employed by London United) involved in industrial action. The London bus network is expected to be heavily impacted and buses will be less frequent and more crowded than usual.

Saturday 20 August

Who is striking?

Members of the RMT union who work for Network Rail as well as 14 individual train operators. These are:

  • Avanti West Coast
  • East Midlands Railway
  • Greater Anglia
  • GTR (including Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and the Gatwick Express)
  • GWR
  • LNER
  • Northern
  • Southeastern
  • South Western Railway.

On top of this, 18 and 20 June will see strike action by around 2,500 members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA); as well as electrical control room operatives with the Unite union.

More than 1,600 London bus drivers - members of Unite, employed by London United - will also walk out on 19 and 20 August, causing delays and further crowding on London buses.

Which lines are affected?

The UK rail network will not shut down completely, but most trains will be cancelled across England, Wales and Scotland. In previous strikes of this scale, the UK has seen around one fifth of services running, making them more crowded than usual.

Some services late on the evening before (19 August) and earlier services on the mornings after (21 August) the strike will also be disrupted.

London bus routes will also be impacted, with crowded services and longer waits than usual expected.

Could there be any further transport strikes?

More than 1,400 Arriva bus drivers are currently being balloted for strikes, with the ballot closing on 26 August.

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