“Better days are coming – they are called Saturday and Sunday!” So said rail firm LNER in a social media post on Friday morning.
In fact, weekend services on the main train operator on the East Coast main line will be far worse than usual – even though a planned train drivers’ strike has been called off.
The planned series of 11 successive weekend strikes was abandoned by the train drivers’ union, Aslef, on Thursday evening.
The union’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, said: “We are pleased to have finally resolved this long-standing issue with LNER of abuse of our agreements. We look forward to normal working resuming.”
But because of the way that train drivers’ rosters are organised, there is no prospect of reinstating the vast majority of cancelled trains on 31 August and 1 September.
LNER said: “Due to the late-notice cancellation of the strike action, a significantly reduced timetable will still be operating.”
A skeleton schedule will run on the main London-York-Newcastle-Edinburgh route with departures roughly between 8am and 5pm.
At 9.10 am on Friday, only one seat is shown as available on any direct LNER train from Edinburgh to London through the weekend. The single seat, priced at £119, is on the 4.30pm train on Saturday which arrives at King’s Cross in the English capital five hours later.
The state-run rail firm said: “Where possible we will attempt to run a small number of additional trains over the weekend.”
Passengers who want to travel on LNER trains between Edinburgh and London are free to do so. But because of the way the rail firm retails its seats they will need to buy a Super Off Peak ticket from Haymarket station, a mile from the main Edinburgh Waverley hub, and hope to find a seat on board. The fare is £91.20.
The planned strikes were unconnected with the long-running pay dispute that was settled earlier this month. Aslef accused LNER of operating “inappropriately”, citing:
- Paying driver managers a premium to drive trains.
- Not recruiting enough drivers to run a full service.
- Trying to push drivers to work outside of agreed rostering systems.
Mr Whelan had accused LNER of “boorish behaviour and bullying tactics”.
An LNER spokesperson said: “After constructive talks with Aslef, we are pleased that strikes planned to commence from this Saturday 31 August have now been called off.
“We will be looking to strengthen the timetable published for this weekend and advise customers to check for the latest information in advance of their journey.”
As with a strike by members of the RMT that was called off at short notice in 2022, it appears that most staff will be paid as normal even though there is no work for them to do.