Leeds rail disruption: Transpennine Express services to be hit by train conductor strikes as RMT union confirms 24-hour walkouts over pay

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) on TransPennine Express (TPE) will walk out on February 13, 20, 27 and March 6 - in a move that will affect trains that serve Leeds and surrounding station.

The conductors will also refuse to work overtime from February 14 until further notice.

The company released an amended timetable for the first strike that will see a “significant” reduction in services and passengers have been advised not to travel on strike days and to plan journeys for either side of the industrial action.

TPE said it would operate a limited service on Sunday on the following routes: Manchester to York via Huddersfield and Leeds; York to Scarborough; Edinburgh to Carlisle; Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield; and Doncaster to Cleethorpes.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “TPE conductors who kept the trains running throughout the pandemic have been left with no choice but to take strike action after being given a flat no to their reasonable request to close the pay gap between themselves and other TransPennine workers by bosses who have mostly been at home throughout the Covid crisis.

“To add insult to injury, conductors on Northern Trains working alongside TPE conductors have reached agreement for a small payment of 2p for a new method of checking tickets.

“Meanwhile, TPE conductors have modestly asked for and been refused the same small payment for doing these checks. Our members refuse to be treated unfairly and will be continuing with industrial action until the pay discrimination is dealt with.”

“We are doing all we can to keep our customers moving under difficult circumstances, but we simply will not be able to operate a timetable that provides a regular service. We will continue to review our strike response timetables and will seek to provide additional services where possible.

“Our advice to our customers is clear. This Sunday, do not travel unless you have to. If your journey is vital, plan and check carefully before travelling and allow plenty of extra time. Those trains we are running are likely to be far busier than normal.”

TPE said it would operate a limited service on Sunday on the following routes: Manchester to York via Huddersfield and Leeds; York to Scarborough; Edinburgh to Carlisle; Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield; and Doncaster to Cleethorpes.

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