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Even though the RMT union has called off Sunday’s strike on Avanti West Coast, passengers will find two-thirds of services cancelled.
Train managers working for the intercity rail firm are involved in a long and bitter dispute over the amount they get paid for working on rest days. They plan strikes every Sunday until June.
On Thursday the RMT union called off the next two stoppages “to allow intensive talks to take place”. But the announcement came too late to reinstate this weekend’s schedule.
Even though no staff will be walking out, passengers are warned a “strike timetable” will apply on Sunday. Most trains will remain cancelled.
The earliest departure from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston is at 9.20am, the last at 3.55pm. On that line, as well as between Birmingham and London, only one Avanti train will run each hour, instead of the usual three, during the brief spell of service.
Overall, only 70 trains are sure to run, compared with 209 on a normal Sunday.
On the following Sunday, 26 January, a full service is expected.
A spokesperson for Avanti West Coast said: “We’re pleased that the RMT has called off its strike action for Avanti West Coast on Sundays 19 and 26 January.
“Due to the short notice, it’s not possible to fully restore our timetable for 19 January, so a reduced service will still run.
“We’re working hard to run as many additional trains as possible, so please check before you travel on the day itself.”
The spokesperson declined to comment on whether Avanti West Coast will be paying any staff for Sunday even though there is no work for them to do.
An RMT spokesperson said: “This suspension reflects our goodwill and commitment to finding a resolution to this rest-day working dispute.
“We are responding to overtures from Avanti and hope meaningful progress towards a negotiated settlement can be made during these talks.”
Travellers who make it as far as Manchester or elsewhere in northwest England on Sunday may find their problems are only just beginning.
State-run Northern Rail is routinely cancelling hundreds of trains west of the Pennines because guards are not obliged to work on Sundays.
The “emergency timetable” cuts trains on some lines to one every two hours. On others, services are axed completely on Sundays. No trains will run on Sunday from Preston to either Blackpool South or to Colne via Blackburn and Burnley.