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 An RMT ballot of its members at 14 train operating companies in England has resulted in a substantial majority in favour of continuing strikes in the dispute over pay. Both the Rail Delivery Group and transport secretary Mark Harper say the result is ‘disappointing’. At most operators, the vote approving of more action was in the region of 10 to 1, according to information provided by the union. A total of 13,091 ‘yes’ votes were cast, as opposed to 1256 who said ‘no’, amounting to a vote in favour of 91 per cent. The turnout was almost 69 per cent, which met the legal requirement for a turnout of at least 50 per cent, and the vote gives the RMT the right to call more strikes until November. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch, who is already calling his members out for 24 hours on 13 May, said: ‘It is clear from these results that members are not prepared to accept a pay offer based on mass job cuts and major attacks on their terms and conditions. ‘This sends a clear message to the employers that the huge anger amongst rail workers is very real and they need to recognise that fact, face reality and make improved proposals. ‘They need to get around the table with RMT and negotiate in good faith for a better deal.’ Transport secretary Mark Harper responded: ‘Train companies put forward a fair and reasonable pay offer which the RMT’s executive have refused to consult their members on, despite members working for Network Rail voting overwhelmingly to accept it earlier this year. ‘The Rail Delivery Group's best and final offer guarantees employees a fair and reasonable pay rise, while delivering the reforms needed to address the long-term challenges facing the industry.‘ The RDG added: ‘While the outcome of the ballot is disappointing, sadly it is also unsurprising during an ongoing dispute such as this. The vote that really matters is for the deal on the table developed in conjunction with RMT negotiators but then subsequently rejected out of hand in unflattering terms by their executive committee, without giving their membership a single chance to have their say. ‘The RMT membership would be forgiven for wondering why they are only ever offered a vote to extend this dispute and a never vote to end it. We can only assume that the executive committee is fixed on continuing this dispute for its own reasons, despite the damage is causing to an industry still being subsidised up to £175 million a month extra.’

ASLEF general secretary Mick Whelan has accused the government of ‘leading’ the continuing rail strikes. More walkouts have been scheduled by ASLEF drivers on 12 and 31 May, and also on 3 June, and the RMT is set to stage a strike on 13 May, which will clash with the final of the Eurovision song contest in Liverpool. Speaking to the Independent, Mr Whelan said he expected industrial action to continue in the months ahead. He continued: ‘These are government-led strikes, government-driven strikes, government-organised strikes. Ever since Mr Harper and Mr Merriman have taken over, I don’t think there’s been anything done in good faith. ‘Quite simply after four years, we want a simple pay rise, but we’re not going to give up every term and condition, everything that takes 140 years to gain, for nothing. ‘If you leave us in our free collective bargaining to deal with our employers, maybe we’d be in a better position. But we are hamstrung by the dead hand of government as we have been for the last two years.’ The Department for Transport said: ‘Since coming into office the secretary of state and the rail minister have positively changed the tone and facilitated negotiations, including meeting Mick Whelan on a number of occasions. It has always been the role of industry to negotiate with unions. Train drivers’ national average wage has increased by 39 per cent since 2011, compared to the national average of 23 per cent, and the very fair pay offer would have seen their already well above average salaries increase from £60,055 to £65,000 by the end of the year.’

Line closed ++ Train services on the Midland Main Line will be reduced from 27 May until 11 June, so that Network Rail can renew the track in Clay Cross and Milford Tunnels, north of Derby. Services between Sheffield and London will be reduced and diverted, and the Matlock branch will be closed. Rail replacement buses will be provided, except on the strike days of 31 May and 3 June. Late night ++ Merseyrail trains will run later than usual during Eurovision week in Liverpool, which culminates in the final on 13 May, and some city centre stations will be closed.  Acting managing director Jane English said: ‘We have increased capacity on all lines. This means there will be around an additional 40 trains after midnight.’ More trains ++ Docklands Light Railway timetables will change on 15 May. The revisions will include direct trains between Stratford and Lewisham trains during the evening peak for the first time. Evening frequencies between Canning Town and Beckton will also be doubled, and Stratford to Canary Wharf services will be doubled on Saturday nights. Transport for London said the opening of the Elizabeth Line a year ago had changed the pattern of demand on the DLR.

Heathrow Express ++ Revenue on Heathrow Express has failed to return to pre-Covid levels, even though the number of people using the airport has almost returned to normal. The reason is thought to be the opening of the Elizabeth Line a year ago this month, which offers a single journey from central London to Heathrow terminals 2 and 3 for £5.60, while Heathrow Express costs £25 from Paddington. It is reported that the Express earned £22 million in the first three months of this year, compared with £31 million during the same period in 2019. Welsh plan ++ Transport Focus has urged Transport for Wales to provide a more reliable service, after months of disruption. The watchdog has written to TfW chief executive Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, calling on him to draw up an action plan. The improvements TF wants include giving more notice of timetable changes and making sure that journey planners are consistent, as well as telling passengers what’s happening and ‘being honest about the issues’. Coronation call ++ The Rail Delivery Group is advising passengers to plan ahead if they will be travelling over the Coronation weekend. Full services are expected to run, but queuing systems may be necessary at some stations. The RDG added: ‘Passengers will enjoy a warm welcome at Network Rail’s managed stations in London, which will be specially decorated for the occasion.’

► Negotiations between train operators and two rail unions have broken down again, and both the RMT and ASLEF have called more 24-hour strikes. ► RMT members at most English train operators are set to walk out on 13 May, while drivers belonging to ASLEF are due to strike on 12 and 31 May, and also on 3 June. ► The Rail Delivery Group said it had been ‘blindsided’, while transport secretary Mark Harper accused the RMT of ‘snubbing’ passengers. There had been detailed discussions between the unions and the Rail Delivery Group, but without result. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘The RDG have reneged on their original proposals and torpedoed these negotiations. ‘No doubt their decision is due to pressure exerted on them by the Tory government. ‘Therefore, we have no alternative but to press ahead with more strike action and continue our campaign for a negotiated settlement on pay, conditions and job security. ‘We are re-balloting our members and if we beat the draconian anti-trade union laws on turnout, we will have a renewed mandate for action. ‘We will then put on a further programme of strike action to make the employers and the government who continue to hold the puppet strings, see sense in this dispute.’ Railnews understands that the RMT had been considering a new offer from the RDG, but that the union claims that its hands have been tied by the conditions surrounding a first year payment of 5 per cent, which would only be payable if the union then ‘terminated its industrial mandate’ – in other words, promised to stage no more industrial action when Stage 2 discussions had begun. The union said ‘discussions which are part of the offer made by the employer would then have to begin without the union having any industrial leverage at the negotiating table’. Meanwhile, drivers belonging to ASLEF are set to strike on three days in May and June. ASLEF said: ‘Most of the drivers have not had a pay increase at all since 2019 and with inflation still well over 10 per cent and the cost of living spiralling, this is not acceptable. ‘Train drivers and ASLEF as a union are in favour of modernising the industry. We're keen to negotiate on a range of industrial issues that would make running the railway more efficient. Lots of modernisation and changes to how drivers work have already been agreed at different companies – everything from using tablet computers to Sundays being part of the standard working week. These agreements were made because negotiations took place in good faith and drivers were compensated fairly.’ It continued: ‘Drivers won't accept modernisation forced upon them with no compensation, and they won't accept a return to draconian Victorian conditions or being expected to work harder, for longer, for less. All workers deserve better than that.’ RDG chair Steve Montgomery said: ‘We are blindsided by the RMT executive’s announcement – nothing has changed in the offer agreed two weeks ago by the RMT leadership in the negotiating room. ‘The RMT are negotiating in bad faith, again denying their members a say on a fair pay deal, needlessly disrupting the lives of millions of our passengers, and undermining the viability of an industry critical to Britain’s economy.’ Transport secretary Mark Harper was also critical, saying: ‘Passengers have been forced to endure the RMT’s strike action for almost a year, yet the RMT executive is intent on continuing to force its members to lose even more pay. That’s despite having a best and final offer, similar to the pay offer their Network Rail members recently voted to overwhelmingly accept. ‘By yet again denying their members a chance to have a say, and then striking over the UK’s first Eurovision event in 25 years the RMT are simply further snubbing the very passengers they serve.’ The RMT strike on 13 May will coincide with the Eurovision final in Liverpool, which is being held on behalf of Ukraine. The Rail Delivery Group said the ASLEF walkouts were ‘disappointing’. It continued: ‘More strike action is totally unnecessary and will only heap more pressure on an industry already facing an acute financial crisis. Senselessly targeting both the final of Eurovision and the FA cup final is disappointing for all those planning to attend. ‘After many weeks of negotiations with the ASLEF leadership today, we made a revised and fair offer including a pay rise of 8 per cent over two years. It would have introduced overdue, common-sense improvements already in place in parts of the network, which would will see more trains running on time for passengers. Sadly, this has been rejected. ‘We urge the ASLEF leadership to re-join us at the negotiating table and work with us to find a solution to the issues our industry faces and so we can give our people the pay rise we have always said we wanted to do.’

A ceremony has been held in London to honour those Transport for London staff who lost their lives to Covid-19. The Mayor of London and transport commissioner Andy Lord were joined by the families, friends and colleagues of the victims when a memorial was unveiled in a square in Aldgate.  More than 100 transport workers have lost their struggle with Covid, and the new permanent memorial unveiled by the Mayor and Commissioner pays tribute to the vital contribution they made by keeping essential workers moving during the pandemic. The memorial is accompanied by benches and new plants, including a Foxglove Tree, which create a space for quiet reflection and remembrance. The Mayor said: ‘It’s an honour to commemorate the more than 100 transport workers who lost their lives in the service of our city. ‘When the entire nation was gripped by fear they did not waver. They ensured our phenomenal NHS workers could still care for our friends and family, our shopworkers and delivery drivers could still meet our basic needs and our care workers could still look after our most vulnerable. ‘They were there for us and we are duty bound to remember that we only prevailed because they persevered. This memorial will stand here for all time as an expression of the debt we owe for the sacrifice they made.’ Commissioner Andy Lord added: ‘This memorial pays tribute to our colleagues who helped the capital when it was needed the most, but we sadly lost to coronavirus. Their tragic loss is devastating for us all and we owe them our gratitude and must never forget them. ‘While they paid the ultimate sacrifice, I have no doubt that they also helped save many lives by ensuring other key workers, such as doctors and nurses, got to work so they could in turn help to save others.’

Train operators are preparing for extra passengers during the Coronation weekend, and some are now publishing advice about travel over the three-day holiday. Greater Anglia said there is no engineering work planned on its network on Coronation Day itself, 6 May, so all services will run normally and be strengthened where possible. However, there are some engineering possessions on Sunday and Monday, and a few GA routes will be affected. LNER is naming the 11.00 from London to Edinburgh the ‘Carolean Express’, and the first train with that name will leave London on Coronation Day. After that, the Express will run every day, calling at York, Darlington, Newcastle, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Edinburgh. Transport for London said it expects to run a full service on Coronation Day, but warned that some safety measures may prove necessary if the weight of crowds gets too great, such as queuing or temporary station closures. Appointments ++ Network Rail has announced several senior appointments for the Wales & Western region. Nick Millington has been confirmed as route director on the Wales and Borders route, after acting as interim director since June last year. Marcus Jones from MTR Elizabeth Line has been appointed route director for the Western route, while Sophie Bancroft has been appointed Western route operations director. David Davidson had been interim Western route director, and now moves to the Southern region this summer, where he will be route director for Kent.  Maintenance ++ Derby-based railway maintenance company Loram has been awarded a three-year extension to its Network Rail contract for its Infrastructure Monitoring Fleet. The fleet of 65 vehicles consists of converted passenger coaches and monitors track and structures, so that infrastructure maintenance and renewals can be planned. Loram’s contract will now continue until 2027. Loram will also be helping Network Rail to prepare for the next generation of maintenance vehicles, as the current fleet is approaching the end of its working life. Harmony ++ Northern has extended its use of classical music to 23 stations, in a bid to reduce anti-social behaviour. The decision follows a pilot scheme at nine stations over the past twelve months, which reported a ‘significant reduction’ in loitering, graffiti spraying and other vandalism. The composers will include Handel, Beethoven, Mozart and Tchaikovsky, and their music will be played at varying times during the day for the best effect.

The RMT union is holding another strike ballot from today among more than 10,000 of its members on London Underground, as the deadlock over jobs and pensions continues. The Mayor is under pressure from the government to improve Transport for London’s financial position by £1 billion, and he has already launched a consultation over the possible abolition of Day Travelcards, to improve revenue. The RMT is opposing plans to cut jobs, with 600 station staff said to be among those affected, while the union says Underground staff could lose more than 30 per cent of their pensions. The RMT also pointed out that TfL has forecast a £75 million surplus this year, while passenger numbers are recovering from their Covid-related slump faster than expected. The new ballot will run until 23 May, while the current mandate, required by law, runs out in June. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘Our members have taken several days of strike action over this last year and remain as determined as ever to get a just settlement on jobs, pensions and their working conditions. ‘The Mayor is under pressure from central government, but he must join us in resisting them and refuse to allow ideologically motivated financial constraints to be used as an excuse to attack tube workers. ‘TfL has healthy revenue streams and our members are among the thousands of tube staff that make it a successful transport provider. ‘This re-ballot is vital to maintain the pressure on TfL and I urge all our members to vote yes in the postal ballot.’ TfL has yet to comment.

HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Thurston has admitted that the cost of building a new station alongside the existing London Euston terminus for high speed trains was not really known until last year. The National Audit Office warned at the end of March that the existing budget of £2.6 billion was inadequate, and that the estimated cost now  stands at £4.8 billion. More recently, work on the tunnel between Old Oak Common and Euston was ‘paused’ last week, although HS2 Ltd announced as recently as 12 April that work had started on building an 853m ‘logistics tunnel’ between Atlas Road North Acton and the Old Oak Common site to be used for the delivery of construction materials and the removal of waste from the main Euston running tunnels. Speaking to the Commons Public Accounts Committee, Mr Thurston said the real costs of HS2 Euston were not clear for a long time, saying: ‘candidly, it was only until we got to the autumn of last year’ that the costs were fully understood. Transport secretary Mark Harper had told the Transport Committee last week that a new delay at Euston could only increase the final bill.