Arriva Rail North workers to strike but what Calderdale routes will be hit?

A 24-hour strike on Arriva Rail North will go ahead on Friday after the failure of talks to resolve a dispute over the role of guards.
The proposed strike of Arriva North Trains will go ahead on Friday.The proposed strike of Arriva North Trains will go ahead on Friday.
The proposed strike of Arriva North Trains will go ahead on Friday.

Arriva Rail North workers to strike in driver-only trains row after talks fail

A 24-hour strike on Arriva Rail North will go ahead on Friday after the failure of talks to resolve a dispute over the role of guards.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A total of 55 routes will be affected by the action. Calderdale routes where Northern will operate train or rail replacement buses include:

| Blackburn to Todmorden and Hebden Bridge

| Leeds to Hebden Bridge via Bradford Interchange

| Leeds to Rochdale via Brighouse

| Manchester Victoria to Rochdale and Todmorden

| York to Halifax via Bradford Interchange

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out for the third time in a row over staffing for new trains due to come into service in 2020.

The union said it was “angry and frustrated” that the company had rejected a proposal to invite Transport Department officials to join three-way talks in an attempt to reach a solution.

Workers from Northern will join RMT members from across the country at a protest in Westminster on Wednesday against driver-only operation to mark the first anniversary of the bitter dispute on Southern Rail.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “The sheer intransigence of Arriva Rail North means that the action this Friday goes ahead as planned.

“The responsibility for the inevitable disruption lies wholly with the company.

“We are angry and frustrated that Arriva have thrown out a perfectly reasonable proposal to invite the DfT to join us in three-way talks aimed at finding a solution.

“The public, who support RMT’s campaign for a guarantee of a guard on their trains, will be appalled that Arriva Rail North have failed yet again to offer any kind of progress whatsoever in the talks and have instead opted to try and bulldoze through their plans regardless.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It is that flagrant disregard for the safety issues at the heart of the dispute which leaves us with no option but to press ahead with the campaign of strike action.”

Richard Allan, deputy managing director of Arriva Rail North, said: “It is disappointing that RMT was unwilling to move from its current position during our talks.

“Our employees want us to talk about changes we need to make to the on-board role as we modernise our railway. We believe we would keep a second person on many of our services and, at some locations, we may choose to staff the station to give better support to customers.

“In addition to protecting jobs and current pay, we are also willing to offer future, annual pay reviews for existing conductors if we can agree a deal with RMT.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It is hugely disappointing that RMT is making demands rather than working with us to develop our plans. There is so much to discuss and we urge them to get back round the table.”

The other routes where Northern will operate train or replacement bus services are:

Alnmouth to Newcastle

Appleby to Carlisle

Barnsley to Huddersfield

Barrow to Lancaster

Barrow to Workington

Blackburn and Bolton to Manchester Victoria

Blackpool North to Burnley Central

Blackpool North to Manchester Airport

Bradford Forster Square to Ilkley

Burnley Central to Colne

Carlisle to Newcastle Line

Chester to Altrincham

Cleethorpes to Barton-on-Humber

Clitheroe to Blackburn

Darlington to Middlesbrough

Leeds to Bradford Forster Square

Leeds to Carlisle

Leeds to Castleford

Leeds to Doncaster

Leeds to Huddersfield

Leeds to Ilkley

Leeds to Selby

Leeds to Sheffield

Leeds to Skipton

Leeds to York via Harrogate

Lincoln to Retford

Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Oxford Road via Newton Le Willows

Liverpool Lime Street to Wigan North Western

Manchester Piccadilly to Alderley Edge

Manchester Airport to Manchester Piccadilly

Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton

Manchester Piccadilly to Hadfield

Manchester Piccadilly to Macclesfield

Manchester Piccadilly to New Mills Central

Manchester Victoria to Greenfield

Manchester Victoria to Wigan Wallgate

Middlesbrough to Whitby

Nunthorpe and Middlesbrough to Newcastle

Oxenholme to Windermere

Preston to Ormskirk

Scarborough to Hull

Settle to Lancaster

Sheffield to Hull

Sheffield to Nottingham

Sheffield to Retford Low Level

Skipton to Bradford Forster Square

Southport to Wigan Wallgate

Stockport to Altrincham

Warrington Central to Manchester Oxford Road

Workington to Carlisle