Passengers travelling from Liverpool Lime Street are being warned of significant disruption this weekend as London Northwestern Railway (LNR) faces a two-day strike by members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA). The strike, scheduled for Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, will result in a severely reduced timetable, with some routes having no services at all.
Strike Details and Timetable Changes
On Friday, July 10, no trains will run after 7pm, with the final LNR services departing by 5.30pm. Saturday will see a limited timetable with trains starting later than usual, the first services departing from 7am. The strike action is over a dispute regarding rest day working payments, involving roster clerks, control grades, and duty train crew managers.
Jonny Wiseman, LNR customer experience director, said: "We are disappointed TSSA has called further unnecessary strike action which is set to cause significant disruption for our customers. We are working hard to reach a resolution to this dispute and urge TSSA to continue talks. We are sorry for the inconvenience this will cause our customers and we are doing everything we can to minimise the impact as much as possible."
Affected Routes and Service Levels
LNR confirmed that only the following routes will have limited services, operating at one train per hour: Birmingham–Liverpool, London Euston–Crewe, Birmingham–London Euston via Northampton, Milton Keynes–London Euston, and Watford Junction–St Albans Abbey. No trains will run on any other LNR route, including Stafford–Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent and the Marston Vale Line between Bedford and Bletchley.
Some disruption is also expected on the morning of Sunday, July 12, due to displacement of trains. Passengers are advised to use the LNR journey planner before travelling and to check for updates on the National Rail website.
Ticket Refunds and Alternative Travel
National Rail stated: "If you hold a ticket for travel on a train which has been cancelled you can return it to your place of purchase for a full refund. No administration fee will be charged. Alternatively, tickets dated Friday 10 or Saturday 11 July can be used on an alternative London Northwestern Railway service / West Midlands Railway service on Thursday 9 July or Sunday 12 July instead."
Passengers are urged to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys. More information is available on the London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway websites.
