TransPennine Express is advising anyone travelling over Easter to plan their journeys ahead as strike action is set to cause substantial disruption to services.
The strike action is being held by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) and will be happening on Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday (the 16th and 17th of April), and will mean that TransPennine Express (TPE) can only run a very small number of trains.
TPE customers are being asked not to travel on either of the two days and to travel either side of the dates as an alternative.
RMT has also revealed that it will be carrying out a series of further strikes by conductor members, with the action set to take place on Sundays starting from the 27th of March and carrying on until Sunday the 5th of June. The strike action will also include the following weekends:
- Saturday the 16th and Sunday the 17th of April
- Saturday the 30th of April and Sunday the 1st of May
- Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th of June
Trains that are able to operate are expected to be far busier than usual and anyone carrying out an essential journey should leave plenty of extra time for travel making use of the TPE website or National Rail Enquiries to check their plans carefully.
Bikes will not be allowed on-board TPE service during any of the strike dates.
Kathryn O’Brien Customer Experience Director for TransPennine Express said: “We are saddened that strike action by RMT is set to cause further disruption to trains over the Easter weekend, at a time when people will be relying on our services to allow them to catch up with friends or family.
“Unfortunately, we are instead urging customers to avoid travelling on both Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday, and instead make their journeys either side of the strike dates.
Further information on the strikes is available online at: http://tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates/strike
Responses
Why is the RMT being so selfish? They constantly criticise rail fares being so high but the cost of their strikes and cost outcomes have to be paid for in rail fares by passengers.
The same passengers will probably go to Yorkshire coast by car.
This strike needs settling.
The RMT are always going on about the high price of rail fares but the actions of their member contribute much to increasing them by their actions.
They are making life difficult for those rail travellers to Yorkshire coast and for the tourism industry/ hospitality industry.
Shame on them.