Rail union criticises train company for failing to run decent service while workers strike

During the strike across 14 train operating companies in the national rail dispute, the rail union RMT said First Group which owns TransPennine Express (TPE) and Avanti were in “complete chaos.”

TPE cancellation stats went up from 7.2 per cent to 23.8 per cent when adjusted to include pre-cancellations for the four weeks to March 4.

Updated Office for Rail and Road (ORR) data shows that Avanti West Coast has cancelled on average 17 per cent of its planned trains since it brought in its new timetable on December 11th 2022.

Over 20,000 workers will be taking strike action and are scheduled to go out again on 30 March and April 1 unless there is a negotiated settlement before then.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The private rail companies are in complete chaos, unable to make an improved offer to resolve our dispute and demonstrably failing to run the railways when we’re not on strike.”

“FirstGroup in particular is like an out-of-control wrecking ball, only fit to make money for its City bosses.”

He added: “Avanti and Transpennine Express are both an abject disgrace but their owners made £90 million out of the railways in dividends over the last two years despite running appalling levels of service.”

“The RDG need to sort themselves out and settle our dispute with an improved offer and then the government needs to nationalise both Avanti and Transpennine Express. They are incapable of providing a decent service to passengers and the sooner they are brought into public ownership the better.”