UK - rail strike

[John Ashworth]

More Rail Misery For East Coast Commuters

10:06am UK, Friday August 07, 2009
Sky News

Commuters are expecting more travel chaos on the second day of this week's 48-hour strike by train staff on an east coast railway line.

Staff at National Express East Anglia walked out at midnight on Wednesday after talks aimed at resolving a row over pay conditions broke down.

The latest action follows a 48-hour stoppage last week which caused travel misery for tens of thousands of passengers.

Most services on its East Anglia routes are not running, although a limited train service to Stansted Airport, Southend and Norwich and Colchester is operating.

Passengers have been told to look at an alternative timetable the company has produced.

"Whilst we will aim to run these services to the maximum number of carriages, it is very likely they will be extremely busy and therefore we strongly recommend passengers spread their journey times," the firm said.

"National Express East Anglia tickets will be accepted on c2c, First Capital Connect and East Midlands Trains on these days. In addition, TfL buses and London Underground will be accepting Travelcards and season tickets."

Passengers have also been warned that services could be affected on Saturday morning.

The Rail Maritime and Transport union said its members had solidly supported the walk-out.

During last week's stoppage, the company ran just 100 services a day instead of its usual 1,800, with the union expecting the same level of disruption this week.

"This strike has been caused by greedy National Express bosses who have soaked up £2.5bn in taxpayer subsidies in the past 10 years and who have milked every penny out of this franchise while offering their staff peanuts this year," said the RMT's Bob Crow.

"Despite making half a billion in profits out of their workforce and the travelling public over the past 10 years, National Express has resorted to pleading poverty.

"RMT wants this company off the tracks as soon as possible with all of their franchises returned to public ownership."