RMT Strike: TransPennine Express requests customers make 'essential' journeys only

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers has announced industrial strike action planned to take place on Tuesday, June 21, Thursday, June 23, and Saturday, June 25.

TransPennine Express is warning customers that they have an amended timetable in place and they will run very few services on the days of the strikes. The service is expected to be very busy on these days and significant disruption on days around the strikes is also expected.

Kathryn O’Brien, customer experience director at TransPennine Express, said: “Due to the RMT action we will only be able to operate around 10 per cent of our usual daily services. Alongside other operators, we simply won’t be able to provide journeys for the tens of thousands of customers who would normally rely on us and any services we are able to run will be extremely busy.

“Therefore, we’re asking our customers to think carefully about their travel across the whole of next week and to only make essential journeys by rail. People should, where possible, consider alternative modes of transport.”

On RMT strike action days, TransPennine Express will operate with only a small number of services with just four routes. These routes include Sheffield to Cleethorpes – the vast majority of its managed stations will be closed with no rail or replacement services available.

Kathryn added: “We will do all we can to provide the best possible service for our customers, but with the limited timetable and trains starting later and finishing earlier than usual we need all our customers to plan essential journeys carefully.

“It’s extremely disappointing that RMT has chosen to take strike action which will not only cause significant disruption for our customers, but will also damage the recovery of the rail industry.

“Like many other industries, rail is still recovering from the effects of the pandemic and the latest strikes – which follow almost five months of industrial action by RMT – only serve to put this recovery at risk.

“We remain open for talks with the union, but any talks must be realistic, affordable and take into account the context of the environment in which the rail industry is now operating.”