Rail travelers in Britain need strong nerves these days. Following the end of a multi-day strike, route manager Network Rail has warned of “significant disruptions” into January. Further strikes have been announced at individual companies.
Union members of Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains want to interrupt work for a day from Wednesday afternoon. Their responsibilities include training, controls, time schedules and communication with customers. A 24-hour strike began on Monday evening at the Cross Country railway company, which covers important long-distance routes.
A strike by the RMT union over Christmas at Network Rail ended Tuesday morning. However, traffic is expected to return to normal later in the day. In addition, this union has already announced new strikes for the beginning of January.
Due to the rising cost of living, the unions demand higher wages and permanent jobs. The Ministry of Transport, in turn, called for the strikes to be canceled and the fare offer from the private railways to be accepted.
Higher costs and lack of staff
According to an analysis by The Guardian newspaper, there are huge problems on the British rail network. This year, more than half of the trains from the 15 main stations had delays or other disruptions. The problems would be related to the privatization of the railway companies; experts say this has led to higher costs and government subsidies. In addition, the pandemic has exacerbated the staff shortage.
Source: Krone
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