Strike escalates but more trains to run

STRIKING guards of the RMT trade union are to escalate their industrial action on the c2c commuter route that operates train services from south Essex to London.

The guards, who have already staged four one-day strikes on the line over the future role of the guard and the Driver Only Operation (DOO) of trains, are to stage a 48-hour strike from noon on Monday 6 August to noon on Wednesday 8 August.

This will hit c2c services on three days running, despite repeated calls from c2c for the union to call off the strikes and take its national campaign over these issues to the proper authority, Railtrack's Railway Safety organisation, who have the power to make changes to the industry's rule book on operational matters, if they think it is justified.

Even though the RMT is increasing the scope of its strike action, the company is drafting in additional experienced guards and managers and running lengthened trains, so will be able to offer a significant improvement on the service it has been able to run during the one-day strikes.

c2c Route Director David Taylor said: "We follow the industry rules on the safe operation of trains, we don't make them - Railway Safety does, so we cannot see why the RMT is in dispute with us. DOO is nothing new - it has been operating on other routes very safely for up to 20 years.

"We have drafted in experienced guards who have been trained on the route and have been certified in keeping with the rail industry guidelines. Only then can they work on our trains on strike days.

"That has enabled us to extend the scope of our service to carry many more people than on previous strike days.

"As we gave the same assurances as all the other train operators which was sufficient to see strikes called off everywhere else, namely we would not extend DOO beyond what has already been agreed with the RMT, we see no reason why we should be singled out for this industrial action."

On Monday (6 August), the morning peak service into London will consist of 26 trains, a big improvement on the dozen run on previous morning strike peaks, but still short of the usual 47 running on non-strike mornings. On Tuesday and Wednesday morning 16 trains will run to London.

On Monday and Tuesday evening, the peak service from London will consist of 19 trains, an improvement on the 16-17 run in previous strike evening peaks, but short of the usual 44 trains operating on normal weekday evenings. And even more trains may be able to run if additional fleet and crews are available.

The evening peak emergency timetable for Wednesday 8 August was still being finalised as this release went to press. As this latest RMT strike is due to end at noon on Wednesday, it is anticipated that c2c will be able to run approximately 70%-80% of its normal 44-train evening peak service on this day, providing greater capacity for customers returning home from London than was available in the morning peak while the strike was in progress.

For safety reasons during the strikes, c2c will not be able to operate peak services to and from Ockendon, Chafford Hundred, Upminster or Barking. In addition trains will drop passengers off at West Ham and Limehouse in the mornings but will not be calling there in the evening peaks. For customers living close to London, their c2c tickets will be valid on London Underground Services from Upminster and Barking to Tower Hill.

On Monday and Tuesday 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. By Wednesday evening's peak, full access to the usual c2c stations should be restored.