Travel plans over the festive season are under threat as the UK Rail Minister warns of staff shortages and a new strike by Avanti West Coast train managers.
Lord Peter Hendy, speaking before the House of Commons Transport Select Committee, expressed concern that falling staffing levels could disrupt Christmas train services, doubling the impact of planned industrial action.
Central to the issue is the reliance of many train operators on staff working voluntary Sunday shifts. Without these additional hours, operators often struggle to meet their schedules, leading to widespread cancellations on key travel days. Lord Hendy said the Department for Transport would be closely monitoring staffing over and throughout the holiday period, adding: “We are concerned about staffing on Christmas services.”
Alex Hynes, managing director of DfT’s Rail Services Group, acknowledged systemic vulnerabilities: “We are overly reliant on train crew overtime. This is a risk that may be worse at Christmas time than at other times.”
Meanwhile, Avanti West Coast is facing three days of strikes by train managers over rest day working arrangements. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out on December 22, 23 and 29, potentially leaving services “very limited” in one of the busiest travel periods of the year. The schedule is scheduled to be adjusted on December 14, with ticket flexibility available for customers who booked on the strike dates.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said train managers had “decisively rejected” Avanti’s proposals, calling for a fair deal: “Train managers are treated unfairly compared to senior managers, who receive significant sums for covering these roles.”
An Avanti West Coast spokesperson responded: “We are disappointed that RMT rejected our reasonable offer… We will continue to work to resolve this dispute.”
With employment challenges and industrial action looming, passengers face increased uncertainty and potential disruption to their Christmas travel plans.