Chiltern strike: No services on Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa route
Most customers will see a near normal service, with changes to four long distance trains
Chiltern Railways Train Managers will strike for 24 hours on Saturday 17th October, with no services on the route between Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa.
Chiltern says it expects to run the vast majority of its services, and most customers will experience a near normal train service.
The RMT union says the action is over the company's refusal to provide guarantees about the role of a second person on board proposed East West Rail services.
What it means for services
Chiltern says the normal number of trains will run into and out of London Marylebone.
There will be no services between Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa all day.
Customers who usually use this route will need to travel via Dorridge, using West Midlands Railway services between Stratford-upon-Avon and Dorridge.
Tickets will be valid via Dorridge at no extra cost.
Four long distance services will run for only part of their journeys in passenger service:
- The 6.44am Stourbridge Junction to London Marylebone will start at Banbury
- The 8.19am Stourbridge Junction to London Marylebone will start at Birmingham Moor Street
- The 6.02pm London Marylebone to Stourbridge Junction will terminate at Birmingham Moor Street
- The 7.32pm London Marylebone to Stourbridge Junction will terminate at Banbury
Chiltern says online journey planners have been updated with the changes.
It is urging customers to use the Chiltern Railways app or online journey planners to check their journey details.
The company said: "We're sorry if this industrial action affects your journey."
Why the strike is happening
The RMT says its members working as Train Managers for Chiltern Railways will strike between 12.01am and 11.59pm on Saturday 17th October.
The union says the dispute is over the company's refusal to provide guarantees over the safety-critical role of the second person on board proposed East West Rail services.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said the driver-only operation proposed on East West Rail represented a significant risk to safety and to the current Train Manager roles at Chiltern.
Mr Dempsey said: "RMT members have voted overwhelmingly to take a principled stand against the watering down of safety on the rail network."
"It is time that Chiltern management took our members concerns seriously."