Rail operators have announced their latest travel strikes for this month as ongoing disputes between trade unions and train operators continue, affecting thousands who commute into work every day on trains and tubes.
RMT strike action is planned for July 20, July 22, and July 29, coinciding with the world’s oldest golf tournament – The Open Championship – happening between July 16 and July 23 at the Royal Liverpool in Merseyside.
Train trade union ASLEF announced an overtime ban earlier this month, meaning members have been refusing to work overtime for 12 days of July.
While the overtime ban is not quite as disruptive as a strike, its members are refusing to work overtime on these days, where they would normally cover in cancellation gaps on their days off, affecting 16 rail operators such as LNER, Avanti West Coast and Great Western Railway.
Angry railway workers on the picket lines demand an increase in pay and better working conditions – resulting in chaos on the train tracks, with hundreds missing out on the upcoming Ashes and The Open Championship this summer
The first overtime ban already took place between July 3 and July 8, with the second ban expected to impact services between July 17 and July 22.
These dates overlap with some of the dates RMT members are striking – with the union announcing some 20,000 workers will go on strike across three separate days later this month, frustrated that train operators are not cooperating with their pay requests.
Tube strike dates
- July 23 – Services will close by 19:00
- July 24 – Good service expected by late morning
- July 25 – Little or no Tube service
- July 26 – No Tube service expected, including Night Tube
- July 27 – Little or no Tube service
- July 28 – No Tube service expected, including Night Tube
- July 29 – Tube services start later than normal – good service by midday
Information on specific tube line closures can be found on the TfL website.
Sloane Square tube station is served by the District and Circle lines, between South Kensington and Victoria stations and is in Travelcard Zone 1
Train strike dates
The RMT Union have announced three days of strike action to affect several train operating companies on Thursday 20 July, Saturday 22 July and Saturday 29 July.
There are no strikes planned on bus, DLR, London Overground, Night Overground, Elizabeth line or trams.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘This latest phase of action will show the country just how important railway staff are to the running of the rail industry.
An angry Mick Lynch speaking to supporters at an RMT ally – convincing railway workers that they deserve better pay and working conditions, despite the disruption it will cause to the millions of commuters and sports fans every day
‘My team of negotiators and I are available 24/7 for talks with the train operating companies and govt.
‘Yet quite incredibly neither party has made any attempt whatsoever to arrange any meetings or put forward a decent offer that can help us reach a negotiated solution.’
The following railway operators may see thousands of their employees partake in strike action: Chiltern Railways, Gatwick Express, Greater Anglia (including Stansted Express), Great Western Railway, Great Northern, Southern, South Western Railway (including Island Line), Thameslink, TransPennine Express, Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, LNER , London Northwestern Railway , Northern, Southeastern, and West Midlands Railway.
However, the following companies will NOT see strike action: c2c, Caledonian Sleeper, Grand Central, Heathrow Express, Hull Trains, Lumo, Merseyrail, ScotRail, and Transport for Wales.
While trade unions are aware of the mass disruption caused by rail strikes, which coincide with school holidays and major sporting events, RMT maintain that this is their last resort, after attempting to negotiate with the government.
Cricket fans may also be among the thousands of passengers stranded due to upcoming strikes – with the hotly-anticipated England v Australia Ashes test matches being held between July 19 and July 23 at Old Trafford, and again between July 27 and July 31 at The Oval.
Travel advice
No strikes are planned on bus, DLR, London Overground, Night Overground, Elizabeth line or trams.
Setting off early for journeys impacted by strikes using the above means of public transport will help minimise disruption.
TfL has told travellers to ‘allow extra time to complete your journeys’.
