Rail passengers are facing significant disruptions on Sunday, February 2, 2025, as staff from Avanti West Coast resume strike action, affecting train services throughout the region. The strike, which is expected to continue disrupting services every weekend until June, has resumed after being suspended for two weeks, allowing for what the unions described as "intensive talks" with the intercity rail operator.
Passengers relying on Britain’s largest intercity line will experience reduced services, with only one train per hour operating between London Euston and key cities like Birmingham, Manchester, and Preston. Limited services will extend to Glasgow, impacting travel plans for many. This strike action coincides with planned engineering works by Network Rail, compounding the disruption.
Notably, trains on Sunday will operate under significantly limited hours. The first train will leave Euston just before 9 AM, with the last service departing around 5 PM. Consequently, routes to north Wales, Blackpool, and Edinburgh will see no operational services from Avanti West Coast.
Kathryn O’Brien, Avanti West Coast's customer experience director, expressed her concerns, stating, "With strike action, as well as engineering work in the Crewe area impacting our services this Sunday, we are advising customers to check before they travel. We’re disappointed the strike action is continuing, as it will affect our customers who may be working, visiting family and friends, or enjoying days out."
The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union initially called off the strikes to facilitate negotiations aimed at resolving disputes concerning rest day working. Negotiations, unfortunately, did not yield the desired outcomes, leading to the resumption of strike actions. Should attempts to mediate fail, RMT members are prepared to continue their Sunday strikes until the end of May.
A spokesperson for the RMT added, "We remain ready and available at any time for talks to make progress on settling this rest day working dispute," indicating their commitment to finding resolution through dialogue. For passengers who have already booked tickets for travel on Sunday, Avanti West Coast has announced they can use them for alternative travel dates between Saturday and Tuesday or opt for refunds if necessary.
Passengers are encouraged to stay informed about travel plans, as those using the East Coast mainline from London King’s Cross station are also urged to verify the status of their trains due to concurrent engineering works. On Sunday, services will not operate from King’s Cross due to scheduled improvements to the track, drainage, and overhead power lines.
This weekend disruption is reflective of wider challenges within the rail industry, where negotiations between operators and unions continue to impact daily commuting and travel experiences for customers across the UK. The rail sector has been grappling with various labor disputes linked to pay, working conditions, and operational concerns, all of which have culminated in repeated strike actions over the past months.
With careful planning and flexibility, passengers hoping to use Avanti West Coast services or the East Coast line this weekend may find alternative arrangements to minimize their travel disruptions. Efforts from both the rail operator and the RMT to mediate the situation are notable, but the path to resolution remains fraught with difficulty.