How are rail strikes affecting the Midlands today?

RMT Union members at 14 train operators are walking out on Saturday.

Author: Kellie MaddoxPublished 18th Mar 2023
Last updated 18th Mar 2023

Only around half of train services are running today (March 18) because of strike action by rail workers across the country.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at 14 train operators are walking out in a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.

The Rail Delivery Group insists their pay offer, including a 13 percent rise, is fair.

Passengers are being warned to expect disruption, and again on future strike dates on Saturday, March 30 and April 1.

Trains that do run will start later and finish much earlier than usual - typically between 7.30am and 6.30pm.

Here's how each operator plans to run services in the Midlands:

Avanti West Coast

One train per hour will run in both directions between London Euston and each of Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Preston.

CrossCountry

No direct services will run to and from Birmingham New Street and locations such as Cambridge, Cardiff, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth and Stansted Airport.

East Midlands Railway

Just one train per hour will run in each direction between Leicester and each of Lincoln, Nottingham and Sheffield, and between London St Pancras and both Kettering and Corby.

There will be the same frequency between Derby and Matlock; and between Nottingham and each of Derby, Sheffield, Mansfield Woodhouse and Grantham.

London Northwestern Railway

A limited timetable will operate only on these routes: between Birmingham New Street and each of Northampton via Coventry, Birmingham International via local stations, and Crewe.

West Midlands Railway

A limited timetable will operate only on these routes: between Lichfield Trent Valley and Redditch/Bromsgrove via Birmingham New Street, and between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton via local stations.

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