Northern Trains advises passengers “not to travel” next week during biggest rail strike in a generation

Network Rail and over a dozen rail operators are set to walk out on strike next week, which will see some services from Southport cancelled.

Northern, who operate services to Manchester from Southport station, are one of 13 rail operators whose RMT Union members have called for strikes.

Should the planned strikes go ahead, it will be the largest day of industrial strikes on Britain’s railways for a generation, with more than 40,000 RMT union members set to picket.

Strikes are planned on Tuesday 21 June, Thursday 23 June, and Saturday 25 June in a dispute over pay and job security.

Merseyrail staff will not strike on those days, however they are waiting for further information from Network Rail on whether signalling, which is operated by Network Rail, will be manned.

Merseyrail staff told OTS News that “there will be disruption” on Merseyrail of an, as yet, unknown nature.

Northern has advised passengers not to travel between Tuesday 21 and Sunday 26 June and make alternative plans.

There will be no replacement buses or alternative travel provided on Northern.

Northern Trains says: “On strike days there will be extremely limited availability of both train crew and signalling staff and as such we will not be able to operate services on most routes. There will be no replacement buses or alternative travel provided.

“Unfortunately, as we will not be able to position our fleet how we normally would, the significant impact of the strike will also be felt on non-strike days. Therefore, we regrettably advise customers not to travel on any day from Tuesday 21st through to Sunday 26th June.’

“Where we are able to operate trains, services will be very limited, and trains will not start as early as normal and will finish much earlier than normal.

“You will be entitled to a refund for dates affected by strike action if not travelling.”

The RMT union says Network Rail plan to cut up to 2,500 jobs as part of a £2bn spending cut, while train operators have been subject to pay freezes and changes to the terms and conditions of their employment.

Four out of five rail lines in the country will be closed on strike days, the RMT union says.

Andrew Haines, Network Rail chief executive, said the action was “needless” and would have a “damaging impact”.

Rail operators with striking staff are:

• Avanti West Coast
• Chiltern Railways
• Cross Country Trains
• c2c
• East Midlands Railway
• Greater Anglia
• Great Western Railway
• LNER
• Northern
• South Eastern
• South Western Railway
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains

While disruption in the town will be likely limited to the Southport to Manchester line, travellers may find heavy disruption at major local interchanges such as Lime Street, Wigan and Manchester, along with heavy disruption all across the country.

Network Rail and the RMT union have further talks planned ahead of next week.