West Midlands Mayor criticises train strikes
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has hit out at rail and union bosses over strike action taking place on weekends in the run-up to Christmas.
The strike action on West Midlands Trains (WMT) threatens to cause major disruption on the region's rail network. The company operates trains running between Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Walsall.
Train drivers and conductors are expected to walk out meaning reduced service on Saturdays. It could cause problems for festive shoppers and football fans in the coming weeks.
Mr Street has been critical of the performance of train companies over recent weeks and he said the strike action would only cause further frustration for passengers. The strike has been called by the RMT union over a row on plans to bring in driver-only operation on trains.
The mayor said on Twitter: "This weekend’s rail strike is incredibly disappointing as, after the recent unacceptable performance, passengers and businesses across the region are set to suffer again. I would urge WMT and the RMT to find a solution ASAP that stops these strikes dragging on into Christmas.
"I also fully expect senior WMT staff to be at stations on Saturday facing up to their passengers and providing answers as to why the performance has been poor recently and what is happening with the strikes.
"Crucially, the West Midlands remains open for business. An emergency train timetable is in place, Transport for West Midlands will be monitoring roads, and train tickets will be accepted on the metro with extra trams running. NX buses will also accept train tickets depending on demand."
