Harrogate train passengers braced for further strikes next week

Train passengers in the Harrogate district are set for two days with no services next week due to strike action.

Members of train drivers’ union the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) are set to walk out on Wednesday and Friday in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Northern, which operates services between Leeds and York, has confirmed no trains will run on the days of strike action.

The company has also urged passengers not to travel as no rail replacement services will be operated.

It said in a statement:

“There will be no rail replacement buses on strike days for Northern services and some Northern stations may be closed or have reduced hours due to the limited staffing and services.

“Advanced tickets have been withdrawn from sale for strike day.”

The operator added that some services on the day after strikes may be also be affected.

Meanwhile, LNER, which runs services to London King’s Cross from Harrogate, said it would be running a limited timetable on the days of strike action and urged passengers to check their journeys before travelling.

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Union bosses said the planned walkouts were a result of a pay proposal made by train operators which it said could not be accepted as it represented a “real terms pay cut” amid soaring inflation.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, said: 

“The proposal is not and could not ever be acceptable but we are willing to engage in further discussions within the process that we previously agreed.”

Besides train drivers, teachers, nurses and ambulance workers are all set to strike in the Harrogate district in the next two weeks.

Harrogate district braced for rail and postal strikes

The Harrogate district is set to be affected by rail and postal strikes this week.

No trains will run through Harrogate and Knaresborough to Leeds and York on Saturday due to a walk-out by members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen as part of a dispute over pay and conditions.

Northern, which operates local services between Leeds and York, has urged passengers not to travel as no rail replacement services will be operated.

The company said:

“On strike days, only travel by rail if necessary and if you do travel, expect severe disruption and plan ahead – especially the first and last trains of the day.

“If you do decide to travel, there will be very limited services running across the whole rail network so remember to check your entire journey as other train service providers may be affected.”

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LNER, which operates trains from Harrogate to London King’s Cross, has urged passengers to check services before they travel.

The company is set to operate a limited timetable on Saturday when strike action is being held.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of the ASLEF, said staging a walkout was a “last resort” for the union.

Further strikes are planned after the RMT union announced today it planned four 48-hour strikes on December 13-14 and 16-17 and January 3-4 and 6-7.

Postal strike

The Communication Workers Union has notified Royal Mail they plan to call on their members who collect, sort and deliver parcels and letters to take national strike action on Thursday and Friday this week as well as on November 30 and December 1.

Royal Mail said in a statement:

“Royal Mail has well-developed contingency plans, but we cannot fully replace the daily efforts of our frontline workforce.

“We’ll be doing what we can to keep services running, but we are sorry this planned strike action is likely to cause you some disruption.”

Picket line at Harrogate station today as rail strikes resume

A picket line is operating outside Harrogate train station this morning as rail strikes resume.

The RMT union and Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Aslef) are striking today, Wednesday and next Saturday over pay and conditions.

Previous industrial action was cancelled because it coincided with the Queen’s mourning period.

The strikes have affected some people travelling to Harrogate for the three-day Green Party autumn conference, which started yesterday, as well as football fans that planned to catch the train for today’s Harrogate Town vs Bradford City derby at 1pm.

About 15 picketers turned up to support the action today.

Rail passengers have also been warned to expect disruption on Harrogate’s LNER services from today until October 9.

Major engineering works in the Newcastle area by Network Rail will affect many services on the LNER route during this period.

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