Rail predictions
Q: I am interested in what LNER are likely to do in December over the next set of RMT strike days – particularly 17 December? How many Edinburgh to London services will there be? And what happens to those of us with advance tickets?
Are we automatically entitled to book a seat on another service, or what? We bought advance tickets through an agent that doesn’t seem to offer any option other than cancel for refund as far as I can see. We’ve got no choice but to travel that day.
Peter
A: As things stand, Saturday 17 December will be the last day in the RMT union’s pre-Christmas strike. Members working for Network Rail and 14 train operators (including LNER) plan to walk out in two 48-hour blocks: 13 and 14 December, followed by 16 and 17 December. (The expectation is that the intervening Thursday, 15 December, will be blighted with only a “strike service” able to run.)
Since the current series of national rail strikes began five months ago, LNER has consistently run daytime services on strike days on its core route from Edinburgh via Newcastle and York to London. I expect that will prevail if the next round of strikes go ahead – with trains every hour or two from around 7.30am to 6.30pm (last departure southbound at around 2pm).
Many people, though, probably including you, will be in the position of holding a ticket for a train that isn’t running. In that case I recommend you wait and see what LNER proposes. A week before the strike it should become clear what the options are. At this point you should be able to book a seat reservation for a train that is running. Turn up with your Advance ticket and I am sure you will be fine.
Having said all that, when I talked to the RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch, on Thursday I sensed a strong desire to find a settlement and end these extremely damaging strikes.
My advice: don’t do anything for at least 10 days. But equally be aware that other strikes are happening. Train drivers belonging to Aslef are taking industrial action this weekend, and could call future strikes in December
Finally, if you book direct through LNER it is much easier to handle disruption – as well as collecting an effective 2 per cent discount through the Perks scheme.
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