CrossCountry is introducing temporary timetable changes from August 10th to November 9th in order to optimise services in the face of crew resourcing issues.
Prolonged industrial action across the rail industry has prevented CrossCountry from clearing a backlog of critical driver training days accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic – when social distancing restricted training activities.
CrossCountry are keen to reduce on-the-day cancellations, as these cause the most inconvenience to passengers.
They trialled a similar approach this Easter, which led to a 94% decrease in on-the-day cancellations.
Reducing services on some routes over this 13-week period – as well as adding extra carriages to services wherever possible – will allow CrossCountry to work through the necessary driver training backlog while retaining maximum passenger capacity.
The core CrossCountry route between Birmingham and Newcastle via Leeds remains unaffected.
However, some services that operate via Doncaster will not run, and no CrossCountry services will operate beyond Edinburgh to Aberdeen or Glasgow as long as the temporary timetable is operating.
However, the current trial, which saw some station calls removed at Wakefield Westgate and Chesterfield,will end as planned in September.
Here are the main affected routes:
- The Scotland and the South West route via Birmingham.
- Newcastle to Birmingham via Doncaster.
- Manchester to Bournemouth via Reading.
- Paignton via Birmingham and Manchester.
- The route between Cardiff and Nottingham.
- The Birmingham – Stansted route.
CrossCountry are advising passengers to check their journey before travelling, using the CrossCountry website or app or with National Rail Enquiries.
Passengers in possession of tickets on affected services can travel on an alternative service or request a full refund. For further information, visit www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/travel-updates-information/temporary-timetable .
In July this year, Scotrail were forced to respond to resourcing issues with a similar strategy to protect the public from sudden cancellations.
Removing services from our timetable is always a last resort. I’m sorry for the inconvenience this will cause for our customers and I want to thank them for their patience while these changes are in place.
This is a difficult decision, but by taking proactive action now we are investing in building a more resilient and dependable service for CrossCountry customers for the future
Ben Simkin, CrossCountry’s Regional Director for the North East and Scotland
Responses
Needs to be taken back under public ownership and provided with bi-mode trains … Why are trains between York and Edinburgh & Between Coventry and Manchester not on electric traction ??
The Cross Country operation was an example of what the old British Railways was capable of. If provided comfortably long distance travel across the UK without changing trains.Virgin Trains did it’s best with the franchise and at least provided , the then new , rolling stock, and tried new methods of operation. The present day operation should be far better than it is. Hopefully the refurbed trains will be better and the rail unions only seem to be their for their own interests, which makes any sort of improvement extremely problematic.
Your biggest problem is that your trains aren’t up to the job of transporting people with luggage over long distances in comfort. Until you resolve that, your business will never thrive as it ought to. You need new rolling stock.
Typical of the company to blame industrial action. Check out the Facts. They, the company didn’t want an overtime agreement for 20 months. Overtime is required to allow the service to operate whilst you train staff. It’s all down to Tom Joyner former MD.