Rail worker strike to cause disruption to services

A reduced rail service timetable is to be introduced across the West Midlands due to two days of planned industrial action.

The walkouts set for Friday and Saturday affect West Midlands Railway's (WMR) network, including Birmingham and Wolverhampton, plus Warwickshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire.

The TSSA union said its members' action was over rest day working payments, "giving members parity with other unions".

Jonny Wiseman, WMR customer experience director, said: "We are working hard to reach a resolution to this dispute and urge TSSA to continue talks."

On Monday, TSSA said the strikes would have a "significant impact" on services.

Union general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said members "have not been given parity with those in other unions – a perfectly reasonable demand".

She added: "As things stand we face an intolerable situation."

It is the second round of industrial action taken by the union, whose members include roster clerks and duty train crew managers.

"Of course, as ever our union only takes strike action as a last resort, so we hope that our demands can be met in coming days to avoid any more disruption," Eslamdoust said.

The operation of WMT transferred to public ownership in February.

WMR has said a "very limited service" would operate" on Friday and Saturday.

No trains will run after 19:00 BST on Friday, with a later 07:00 start of services the following day.

Routes with a limited service on those days are:

• Cross City Line (Lichfield Trent Valley – Redditch / Bromsgrove via Birmingham New Street) – two trains per hour
• Wolverhampton – Walsall via Birmingham New Street – one train per hour
• Rugeley Trent Valley – Birmingham International via Birmingham New Street – one train per hour

No trains are due to run on any other WMR route, including via Birmingham Snow Hill, the Camp Hill line, services between Nuneaton and Leamington Spa, and services from Birmingham New Street to Hereford and Shrewsbury.

London Northwestern Railway services will also be disrupted.

This includes one train an hour on Birmingham-Liverpool services and Birmingham-Northampton-Milton Keynes-London Euston services.

No trains will run on any other LNR route, including those via The Potteries (Stafford - Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent).

"We are disappointed TSSA has called further unnecessary strike action which is set to cause significant disruption for our customers," Wiseman said.

He advised customers to only travel if necessary and to allow more time for journeys.

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