Rail strikes: Pay deals to avoid further industrial action a ‘long way off’, unions say
Rail union leaders have told MPs there is much left to agree if further national strikes are to be averted, with one accusing the government of “sabotage” in its negotiations.
RMT leader Mick Lynch said in evidence to the transport committee his members were “a long way” off securing deals on the core pay issue.
He said Network Rail and train operating companies were separately offering well under half what his members deserved to navigate the cost of living crisis, after years of pay freezes.
Watch and follow live as rail union leaders appear before MPs – strikes latest
His colleagues at the Aslef and TSSA unions declared they were as far away as was possible to be from deals to end their separate disputes, when asked to give a score on a scale of one to 10.
When asked about the state of play in its row with train operators, Mick Whelan, general secretary of the drivers’ Aslef union, told the MPs: “I think you can include zero. We are further away than where we started.”
RDG chair Steve Montgomery and Tim Shoveller, Network Rail’s chief negotiator, were more optimistic about securing deals to end the various disputes.
Both are due to hold more talks with the RMT and TSSA in the coming days but Mr Montgomery admitted “more work” was needed with Aslef as the dispute was in its infancy.
RMT leader Mr Lynch was particularly vocal on the role of the government, saying ministers had engineered the dispute.
He said it had deliberately provoked his members through “reckless policy” over many years and inflicted “loads” of damage on the rail system as a result.
He accused the Department for Transport of taking a back seat role in the negotiations, and seeking an expansion of driver-only train operation in its talks with the RDG, adding the union would never agree to such a move.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch accused the government of being responsible for ‘loads’ of damage to the railways
“It’s daft. To me, it’s sabotage. They wanted these strikes to go ahead,” he claimed when describing how nine clauses on the issue were added to a draft document ahead of the walkouts last week.
Mr Whelan backed the RMT’s position, saying that Aslef also fiercely opposed driver-only trains on the grounds they are unsafe.
The TSSA has agreed a pay deal with Network Rail but remains in dispute with train operators – with London’s Elizabeth Line set to be hit by a first walkout on Thursday.
The RDG and Network Rail have consistently argued that the railways can not sustain the pay hikes being demanded, especially given the damage inflicted on passenger numbers since the pandemic.
When asked about the RMT pay dispute, Mr Shoveller said only a few thousand Network Rail staff needed to be won over, citing higher worker support for a settlement.
For his part, Mr Montgomery also refused to discuss whether this would include improved offers, saying that to reveal any such position would be disrespectful to the trade unions.
The Queen is unwell with a chest infection and has withdrawn from her engagements this week, Buckingham Palace has announced.
A palace spokesperson said Camilla’s doctors “have advised a short period of rest” and added that “with great regret, Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her engagements for this week”.
They added the Queen “very much hopes to be recovered in time to attend this weekend’s Remembrance events as normal”.
“She apologises to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result,” they said.
It is understood the Queen is currently resting at home and is under doctor’s supervision.
Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester, has stepped in on Camilla’s behalf to attend the annual opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on Thursday.
The Queen has also withdrawn from a Buckingham Palace reception for Olympic and Paralympic athletes hosted by the King on the same evening.
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Camilla recently returned from an overseas tour of Australia and Samoa. No further details regarding her illness or treatment have been released.
A safety system was “blocked” during a fatal train crash in Powys, an initial investigation has found.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has published its initial findings into last month’s collision, in which one person died.
David Tudor Evans, 66, was described as a “lovely guy, full of life and enjoyment”.
A further 15 people were taken to hospital for treatment after the crash near Talerddig, police said.
The collision – at around 7.26pm on 21 October – involved the 6.31pm Transport for Wales service from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and the 7.09pm Transport for Wales service from Machynlleth to Shrewsbury.
The RAIB said the units were fitted with wheel slide protection systems – described as being similar to anti-lock braking systems in cars – and an automatic sanding system.
Sand is discharged automatically via hoses when a wheel slide is detected during braking – creating more friction at the wheel-rail interface.
A map showing the location of the crash near Llanbrynmair and Talerddig in Powys
The on-train data recorder shows the wheel slide started during braking and was also present after the driver made an emergency brake demand.
An inspection of the sanding system fitted to Aberystwyth-bound train 1J25 showed the leading vehicle’s sanding hoses were blocked.
The RAIB says they were apparently unable to discharge sand.
The ongoing investigation is also looking at the speed at which the trains were travelling when they collided.
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Initial enquiries suggest the westbound train was travelling at a speed of between 15mph and 24mph, while the eastbound train was travelling at a speed of 6mph.
The RAIB says its investigation will look at the sequence of events which led to the crash.
As part of the probe, the agency will look at factors including the actions of those involved, the level of wheel-rail adhesion, and the behaviour of both trains during and after the crash.
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In a joint statement, Transport for Wales and Network Rail said they have “fully cooperated” with the British Transport Police, the Office of Rail and Road and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch.
“As investigations are currently still ongoing, we’ll continue to work together with investigators to understand what happened and await the full conclusion and recommendations of the investigation,” a spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said safety was the “main priority” for both companies and they had “carried out enhanced checks to the trains and the railway line”.
“At this early stage of the investigation, it’s fundamental that we await the findings of the full report and show sensitivity towards our customers, colleagues, the local community and the families of those affected by the incident,” they added.
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