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New TRAIN strikes December Avanti West Coast NOW BACK ON + MORE

Posted by (Northamptonshire, England) on

Avanti West Coast (London Euston to the West Midlands, Northwest, North Wales and Scotland) Train Managers (called Guards or Senior Conductors or Conductors elsewhere on the network) have voted to strike for three days around Christmas over rest day rostering - because of the shortage of staff they are being made to work overtime to keep the trains moving. They are unhappy with the way that is done. They usually work a 41 hour work week and are being asked to work on their days off.

So they will walk out on Sunday and Monday the 22nd and 23rd of December and on Sunday the 29th of December.

Trains need Train Managers in the train and Drivers on the front. It is possible that some trains will be worked by managers and it is unclear the actual impact.

Check before travel. Updates will be posted when and if there are any.

There are slower trains paralleling on much of the their routes, but it will involve a degree of patience, planning and flexibility to travel on those days and those surrounding.

Posted by
1232 posts

UPDATE - these strikes have been called off whilst a new offer from employers is put to staff.

Posted by
8126 posts

Meanwhile the situation on Northern goes from bad to worse. The conductors have rejected a temporary 6 month deal on rest day working, while a permanent solution was devised.
So the Sunday timetable starting in 2 days time will last for 1 week before new reduced Sunday timetables start on 22 December.
But we also currently have severe weekday issues as well with rosterered staff not turning up for work on the day.
Hooefully that latter issue is just for their Christmas shopping so will go away in the New Year, but I'm not holding my breath.

Posted by
8126 posts

Spoke too soon- the senior conductors on Avanti West Coast have REJECTED the deal.

They are to strike on 31 December, 2 January and then every Sunday from 12 January to 25 May.

Updates on the New Year strikes should become available over Christmas

Posted by
33986 posts

that's (currently) at

  • Tuesday 31 December
  • Thursday 2 January
  • nothing then for 10 days
  • Sunday 12 January
  • Sunday 19 January
  • Sunday 26 January
  • Sunday 2 February
  • Sunday 9 February
  • Sunday 16 February
  • Sunday 23 February
  • Sunday 2 March
  • Sunday 9 March
  • Sunday 16 March
  • Sunday 23 March
  • Sunday 30 March
  • Sunday 6 April
  • Sunday 13 April
  • Sunday 20 April
  • Sunday 27 April
  • Sunday 4 May (the day before the Early May Bank Holiday)
  • Sunday 11 May
  • Sunday 18 May
  • Sunday 25 May (the day before the Late May Bank Holiday, also known as Spring Bank Holiday)

The job title of those striking is Train Manager.

as it stands now. Stay tuned for any further changes.

Posted by
8126 posts

Note that Avanti have now suspended ticket sales for the affected dates until service plans are confirmed (that is all Sunday dates from 12 January up until and including 2 March, plus the two new year dates.)

EDIT- In the law of unintended consequences Trans Pennine Express have withdrawn their west coast timetable and tickets for those Sundays (presumably to prevent overcrowding), on the east coast TPE and LNER still have advance fares, but on the highest possible tier, more than double what the fares should be.
Have just found that out by chance when trying to book a journey to Glasgow or Edinburgh for one of the Sundays in February. What I can't do, I can't do.

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