Final day of rail strike set to hit region’s commuters

A THREE-DAY walkout by Northern rail staff is expected to bring further disruption to commuters today.

Today is the final day of the RMT union’s period of industrial action, which has forced the rail operator to run a skeleton timetable on its Yorkshire routes.

This morning, there will be no Northern services before 7am and the evening rush will end by 7pm, with no late-night trains running. On some quieter lines, the service will begin to wind down from late afternoon onwards.

The operator has assured passengers that more than 40 per cent of its regular timetabled services will still run as normal during the strike period, and has implemented a rail replacement bus service for less busy routes. Northern has also warned passengers that all routes are expected to be busier than normal.

Travellers may be eligible to receive Delay Repay compensation, while they can also use their rail tickets to travel on Arriva bus services in West Yorkshire.

The union’s general secretary, Mick Cash, has claimed that the strike has been “well supported” by passengers. Members have long-running concerns about changes to job roles within the company and their effects on the safe operating of trains.

He said: “Once again RMT members are standing firm in the fight for safe and accessible rail services. Both Northern and Merseyrail should get out of the bunker and start talking seriously with the union about a safe and secure future that guarantees the role of the guard on their trains.”

Affected lines in Yorkshire include: Halifax and Brighouse-Todmorden; Huddersfield-Barnsley; Hull-Bridlington-Scarborough; Leeds-Bradford Forster Square; Leeds-Castleford; Leeds-Doncaster; Leeds-Harrogate-York; Leeds-Hebden Bridge and Huddersfield; Leeds-Selby and York; Leeds and Bradford Forster Square-Ilkley; Leeds and Bradford Forster Square-Skipton; Sheffield-Hull; Skipton-Settle.

Sharon Keith, regional director at Northern, asked customers to plan carefully, allow extra time for travel and to consider whether their journeys are necessary. RMT members on Southern Rail will also strike for 24 hours today.