No Avanti West Coast routes on from Scotland to Manchester or London

Strike action is massively affecting cross country services including trains from Glasgow to Liverpool and Manchester.

Author: Callum McQuadePublished 13th Aug 2022

Avanti West Coast bosses are telling people not to travel as almost no services are running from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Manchester, Liverpool or London because of strike action.

The train driver's union ASLEF is staging the walk-out today over pay and modernisation meaning all Avanti West Coast routes are off.

"We would urge them to engage in meaningful industry reform talks"

Managing Director of Avanti West Coast, Phil Whittingham, said: “Yet again our customers will bear the brunt of industrial action and will face a weekend of misery as a result.

“With the summer holidays in full swing and the return of the Premier League, this action will ruin many people’s plans.

"We’re obviously disappointed by ASLEF’s decision to go on strike, which we believe is unnecessary and premature.

"We would urge them to engage in meaningful industry reform talks around modernising working practices and developing a railway fit for the 21st century and we remain open for talks at any time."

More strike action is planned for August 18 and August 20 if an agreement between ASLEF and Avanti West Coast isn't reached.

"Nobody wins in the event of a strike"

Revenue Director of Avanti West Coast, Michael Stewart, told Clyde 1: "Customers can claim a full refund from their point of purchase or re-arrange their journey for another date.

"Nobody wins in the event of a strike.

"Passengers and businesses are disrupted, staff lose pay and the industry loses vital revenue making it ever harder to afford pay increases.

"We want to offer our people a pay rise and we are committed to working with staff and their trade union representatives to make that happen."

Hear all the latest news from across Glasgow and the West on the hour, every hour, at Clyde 1. Listen on FM, via our Radio Clyde app, on your DAB radio, online at Clyde1.com, or say ‘Play Clyde 1’ on your Smart Speaker.