Rail users across Greater Manchester are set to suffer two more days of misery this week as the RMT Union continues its strike action over driver only trains.
The union confirmed on Friday that a further two days of strike action on Northern Rail over attacks on the role of the safety-critical guard and the extension of Driver Only Operation
The union accuses Northern Rail of persuing the action in the name of increased profits as the company continue to snub union calls for meaningful talks.
The walkouts will take place on Monday and Thursday this week.
Northern has said that it will run almost 1,400 rail services during each day of RMT strike action to keep the north of England on the move next week.
On Monday 26 and Thursday 29 March Northern will run more than 50% of its usual services, with a clear focus on peak time trains to get customers where they need to be.
The vast majority of services will operate between 7am and 7pm, with all trains expected to be extremely busy. On some routes, where trains are not able to run, Northern will supplement its services with the addition of a large fleet of rail replacement buses.
RMT has repeatedly pointed out that the move by German-owned Arriva Rail North to expand Driver Only Operation will mean nearly half a million trains running annually without a safety critical guard on board. The union has also pointed out that there is nothing in Arriva’s franchise agreement that requires them to axe guards from Northern trains and that the decision is wholly theirs alone.
There is nothing at all stopping Arriva from agreeing similar arrangements with the union to agreements that have been reached with train operators in Wales and Scotland that guarantee the retention of safety-critical guards they add.
