Rail travellers urged to plan ahead as fresh strike action looms

After three years and no settlement over pay and working conditions, the rail workers' union ASLEF has announced its first strikes for 2024.

Rail workers in the union are set to stage industrial action in the form of an overtime ban between Monday, January 29 and Tuesday, February 6 at West Midlands Railway (WMR) and CrossCountry.

The nine-day overtime ban for CrossCountry and WMR drivers belonging to the ASLEF union 'may mean short-notice changes or cancellations to train services'.

On Wednesday, January 31, planned strike action at other train operators is likely to lead to significantly busier CrossCountry services between Birmingham and Edinburgh via Leeds.

In a separate strike, ASLEF members are set to walk out on Saturday, February 3, affecting West Midlands Trains, Avanti West Coast, and East Midlands Railway – this means CrossCountry services between Manchester and Reading via the West Midlands are 'likely to be very busy'. There will be no WMR services running on this day.

Customers are also warned of planned engineering work that will further affect journeys between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton, between Exeter St David's and Bristol Temple Meads, as well as between Leeds, York and Newcastle on February 3 and 4. Journeys are expected to take longer than usual and rail replacement buses may be in operation on some routes.

The following Monday, there will be no CrossCountry services operating due to a one-day strike by the ASLEF union.

Customers are being advised to only travel if essential and leave more time for their journey.

Mark Goodall, CrossCountry's service delivery director, said: "We're sorry to customers impacted by this latest round of industrial action. While we're working hard to run as many services as possible over these days, there is likely to be significant disruption for people planning to travel – especially on Saturday, February 3.

"I'd ask customers to check their whole journey before setting off, especially if travelling later in the day."

For WMR services between Monday, January 29 and Friday, February 2, an amended timetable will be in operation on a number of routes and customers will likely experience short-notice cancellations on services.

Jonny Wiseman, WMR customer experience director, said: "It is disappointing that industrial action is continuing to affect passengers' journeys.

"Passengers should check their journeys before setting out as services will be subject to short-notice cancellation between Monday, January 29 and Friday February 2. I also urge passengers not to rely on late services as last trains may be earlier than usual. No WMR services will operate on Saturday February 3."

Anyone with a ticket that clashes with the industrial action will be able to use their ticket on a different day or claim a refund – visit westmidlandsrailway.co.uk or crosscountrytrains.co.uk for more information.

The latest travel information can be also found on the CrossCountry and WMR websites or nationalrail.co.uk.