Holiday travel plans are under pressure as Britain’s Rail Secretary warns of staff shortages and new strike action from Avanti West Coast train managers.
Lord Peter Hendy expressed concern at the House of Commons transport committee that reduced staffing levels could disrupt Christmas train services, worsening the impact of the planned industrial action.
Central to this issue is the dependency that many train operators have on staff who volunteer to work on Sundays. Without these extra hours, operators often struggle to meet their schedules, leading to widespread cancellations on key travel days. Lord Hendy said the Department for Transport would closely monitor staffing levels over the holiday period, adding that “we are concerned about the staffing levels of Christmas services.”
Alex Hynes, director general of the DfT’s rail services group, acknowledged systemic vulnerabilities: “We are too reliant on overtime for train crews. That is a risk that may be greater at Christmas than at other times.”
Meanwhile, Avanti West Coast faces three days of strikes by train managers over rest day work arrangements. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) will depart on December 22, 23 and 29, potentially leaving services “extremely limited” during one of the busiest travel times of the year. A revised timetable is expected on December 14, offering ticket flexibility to customers booked for the strike dates.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said train managers had “resolutely rejected” Avanti’s proposals and called for a fair deal: “Train managers are treated unfairly compared to senior managers, who receive significant payments for fulfilling these roles.”
A spokesperson for Avanti West Coast responded: “We are disappointed that the RMT has rejected our reasonable offer… We will continue to work to resolve this dispute.”
With both staffing issues and strikes looming, passengers are facing increased uncertainty and potential disruption to their Christmas travel plans.