TRAVEL DISRUPTION

Teenagers and younger adults were most affected by the rail strikes

AROUND one in seven people said their travel plans were disrupted by last month’s rail strikes - as passengers look likely to face more disruption. Around 40,000 workers walked out over three days in June in what was the biggest rail strike in 30 years. The strikes were called by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) in a dispute over what it believes are “aggressive cuts to jobs, conditions, pay, and pensions”.

Talks broke down with employers after the union rejected a 2% pay rise, with a further 1% tied to job cuts, instead asking for a 7% rise to help members cope with the cost of living crisis.

Now, more industrial action looks set to follow, after the RMT said workers would stage a 24-hour strike on July 27.

Members of the train drivers’ union Aslef have now also voted to walk out over pay, while hundreds of Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) members at Southeastern Railway have also voted for strikes.

It means passengers face the prospect of more disruption - after a government survey showed that the original walk-out by RMT workers last month did have an impact.

Around one in seven people who responded to a survey carried out by the Office for National Statistics (15%) said the rail strikes disrupted their travel plans.

That rose to 25% of those aged between 16 and 29, but dropped to less than one in 20 (4%) among people aged over 70.

Of those who were affected by the disruption, more than a third (34%) said the strike meant they were unable to meet friends in bars and restaurants, attend shows or take

part in other leisure activities.

Around one in four (24%) said they ended up spending more on travel to get to their destination through other means, and 13% said they were unable to work the hours they had intended.

One in 100 (1%) said they were not able to get to a medical appointment, 2% said they were unable to work and 5% missed out on holidays due to the travel chaos.

Announcing the threat of industrial action, Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: “Strikes are always the last resort. We don’t want to inconvenience passengers - our friends and families use public transport, too - and we don’t want to lose money by going on strike but we’ve been forced into this position by the companies driven by the Government.”

But a Department for Transport spokesperson said: “It is very disappointing that, rather than commit to serious dialogue with the industry, Aslef are first seeking to cause further misery to passengers by joining others in disrupting the rail network.”

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group added: “We want to see rail unions engage with train operators over the reforms needed to secure a bright long-term future for the industry, including working with Aslef to deliver the more punctual, reliable services we know passengers care about. Instead of causing further disruption to passengers and businesses, we urge the Aslef leadership to continue talks.”