Rail network to come to a standstill with three strikes in space of a week

THE entire rail network will come to a standstill next month with passengers facing three strikes in the space of a week. About 40,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) will walk out on Oct 8, it was announced yesterday, capping a week of misery on the railways.

Action by Aslef was already confirmed for Oct 1, when the RMT will also strike, and Oct 5.

The combined action, taking in Network Rail and train operators, is expected to cause severe disruption for thousands travelling to and from Birmingham for the Conservative Party conference between Oct 2 and Oct 5.

Network Rail warned of “very significant disruption” for passengers and confirmed it would once again ask people “to only travel if absolutely necessary” amid reduced service levels.

The strike will also take place just days before Liz Truss had hoped to enact legislation to compel rail firms to provide a minimum level of service. The Prime Minister had pledged to bring in the legislation within 30 days of taking office.

However, following the period of national mourning for Queen Elizabeth,

Ms Truss admitted that the deadline may have to be pushed back to as late as the end of November.

Speaking in the US on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said: “We are committed to bringing in legislation for minimum service levels on rail as soon as possible.”

She added: “I want this country to be successful. And that means people being able to get to work. People being able to get on with their business, people being able to move projects forward. So I would encourage rail workers to get back to work.”

The Department for Transport warned that the unions were taking railways back to the “dark ages”. A spokesman said: “We urge union bosses to reconsider this divisive action and instead work with their employers, not against them, to agree a new way forward.”

Unions were urged to rethink by the Government after unsuccessful talks between Anne-marie Trevelyan, the Transport Secretary, and Mick Lynch, the general secretary of the RMT.

No progress was made in a separate meeting between Ms Trevelyan and Mick Whelan, the general secretary of Aslef.

Grant Shapps, Ms Trevelyan’s predecessor, had refused to meet with union bosses. Mr Lynch welcomed the “more positive approach” taken by Ms Truss’s administration but claimed members had “no choice” other than to strike.