Long-suffering commuters hit by 4th RMT strike

THE guards' union RMT is to stage its fourth 24-hour strike on train operating company c2c's services on Wednesday (1 August).

The RMT is bringing the industrial action over the ongoing national dispute relating to the role of the guard and Driver Only Operation (DOO) of trains.

The company says these strikes are now unnecessary and unlawful as c2c offered the same assurances that have seen the dispute settled and strikes on all other railways in Britain called off - essentially that DOO would not be extended beyond what has already been agreed with the union.

c2c has repeated its call for the RMT to call off its strikes and discuss its concerns over national issues with the authority that has the power to make any changes to the rail industry's rule book governing these matters - Railtrack's Railway Safety organisation.

Instead, the union is escalating its activity on c2c, having announced a 48-hour strike next week, from noon Monday to noon Wednesday (6-8 August) which would hit services between Southend and London's Fenchurch Street station for three days in a row.

c2c Route Director David Taylor has written to c2c guards saying: "I regard the behaviour of the RMT to be totally unjustified. I believe this dispute is resolved, therefore a trade dispute no longer exists and continued industrial action is unnecessary and unlawful.

"In 1999 and 2000 the company negotiated two agreements with the RMT for the introduction of Driver Only Operation, when our new £300 million fleet of new trains is fully phased in next year, and one that protects their jobs. These agreements must be honoured."

During this Wednesday's strike, c2c will once again be operating an emergency timetable, which will see around a quarter of morning and evening peak services operating and a half of off-peak services able to run. Copies of the timetable are being handed out to passengers at stations.

Running lengthened trains throughout the peak - 12 car trains on the route from Southend to London via Basildon and 8 car trains on the Tilbury Line - means 15,000 of the usual 25,000 passengers can be carried to the City on the emergency service.

Stations that will not be served by this restricted peak service are Upminster, Barking, Chafford Hundred and Ockendon. Upminster and Barking passengers can use the London Underground services there to travel.

Trains into London will stop at West Ham and Limehouse in the morning peak to drop passengers but not in the evening peak for safety reasons. In the evening, passengers returning from Docklands Light Railway stations will need to travel via Tower Gateway to Fenchurch Street, rather than interchanging at Limehouse or West Ham. c2c tickets will be valid on DLR/LU services.

Further details on Wednesday's services are available from c2c station staff, via this website or from National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50.