The start of the Commonwealth Games this week has been dealt a blow after a rail operator announced it would be running no services on the day Birmingham hosts the marathon. West Midlands Railway said it would have no trains in operation this coming Saturday while services tomorrow, Thursday and Sunday would also be impacted by the industrial action.
The dispute includes workers from two separate trade unions and centres on pay and potential redundancies.
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) announced last week that more than 40,000 workers across Network Rail and 14 train operating companies would stage a walkout tomorrow but this should not directly impact the start of the Commonwealth Games on Friday.
However, a significantly reduced timetable will be in operation across the network and will spill over into Thursday morning when the Queen’s Baton Relay comes into Birmingham.
The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) has announced its members intend to stage strike action on Saturday. The action was initially with staff at eight separate train operators, mainly from elsewhere in the country, but it did include Chiltern which brings routes into Birmingham Moor Street from Solihull and Warwickshire.
A resolution has since been agreed with that operator meaning services will run but Chiltern is warning they could be very busy.
West Midlands Railway and its sister company London Northwestern Railway will have no trains running at all on Saturday and services will also be disrupted on Sunday morning.
West Midlands Railway operates the key Cross City Line which runs from north Worcestershire to Lichfield via Birmingham’s suburbs and New Street station.
Thousands of sports fans are expected to come into central Birmingham on Saturday morning to watch the men’s and women’s and para marathons which start in Smithfield before heading south through Selly Oak before a grandstand finish in Victoria Square.
The Cross City Line also serves University of Birmingham, which is hosting the hockey and squash competitions from Friday, and Sutton Coldfield where the triathlon takes place on Sunday.
West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway also run services connecting the wider region with Birmingham which will also be affected by the strike action.
Separately, RMT members also intend to strike on August 18 and 20.
West Midlands Railway is urging all passengers to plan ahead before making a journey over the coming days - full details of all the affected services can be found on its website here
