Five months of travel frenzy draws to a close as Avanti employees vow to leave on Sunday
Rail travelers are facing up to five months of disruption on the West Coast Main Line, as the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union launches a series of Sunday strikes from 12 January to 25 May.
The move follows the rejection of Avanti West Coast’s latest pay proposal, with more than four-fifths of rail bosses voting against it in a recent poll.
Avanti West Coast, which operates high-speed services between London, the North West and Scotland, has warned that the strikes will cause “significant disruption” to customers, after saying it was disappointed with the result of the vote. The company says it has made a “revised and very reasonable offer” to resolve a long-running dispute over day-off operations and a so-called “new technology fee” for electronic ticket scanning.
The RMT, chaired by Mick Lynch, suspended the pre-Christmas walk after Avanti presented a revised proposal. However, union leaders have decided to start over and extend industrial action, blaming what they call the company’s failure to make a fair deal. The dispute centers on persuading security guards to work on scheduled days off, including Sundays, to deal with staff shortages and avoid disruptions.
Avanti, which has endured criticism for its lack of punctuality in recent months, had the worst performance between July and September: only 41 percent of its services arrived on time, compared to the national average of 67 percent. The franchise escaped early threats of nationalization after reporting on the development, but it continues to be monitored by the government, which ultimately controls its use.
Industry observers suggest that RMT may be playing “hardball” in seeking a bigger package from the Treasury, given Avanti’s reliance on government funding. The union’s decision to escalate the dispute with five months of planned strikes underlines the continued volatility of Britain’s rail sector, raising concerns for business and passengers alike.
