Rail Strikes Saturday 5, Monday 7 and Wednesday 9 November
Train operator Greater Anglia is warning passengers to expect disruption early next month due to strikes on three days. Rail services will be severely impacted Saturday 5, Monday 7 and Wednesday 9 November. Thursday 3 November was originally planned as a strike day but has been called off, now taking place on 9 November.
No East Suffolk Lines Services
Trains will not be running on the East Suffolk Lines or the other regional routes and branch lines on Saturday 5, Monday 7 and Wednesday 9 November.
Limited Services to London and on the Stansted Express
A very limited service will run between London Liverpool Street and Norwich, Colchester, Southend Victoria, Cambridge and on the Stansted Express between London and Stansted Airport. The services will only operate from 07.30am until 6.30pm which is when all trains must be at their final destination.
Note: Trains not running due to the strike will not be replaced with buses.
Knock-on effects the day after each strike
The day after each strike will also cause disruption to morning trains; services will start later than normal, from 7.30am, and are expected to be very busy, especially during the morning rush hour. Please check before you travel.
Please Avoid Travelling on Strike Days
Where trains are operating during the strike, Greater Anglia is advising people to avoid using its trains. If you must make a journey by train please check before travelling.
London Underground and Overground will be affected by a strike on Thursday 10 November.
Due to the strikes, Network Rail’s rail-head treatment trains which clear the lines of leaves will not be able to carry out their usual night-time runs; rails may need to be treated in the morning instead which could further push back the starting times of some first trains.
Football
Football fans travelling to see matches in the first round of the FA cup on Saturday 5 November and the third round of the EFL cup on Wednesday 9 November are advised by Greater Anglia to make alternative arrangements; kick-off for many matches is after trains will have finished running.
East Anglian teams playing in the first round of the FA Cup on Saturday 5 November include Ipswich Town, Needham Market, Colchester United, Chelmsford City, Peterborough and Cambridge United.
Other Events
People travelling to London for plays, shows and other events, including the Kaiser Chiefs concert on Saturday 5 November and Kendrick Lamar on Monday 7 and Wednesday 9 November, all at the o2 Arena, are also advised to make alternative travel arrangements as last trains back from London will be no later than 5.30pm.
Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: “We’re very sorry that once again people’s travel plans are disrupted by strikes.
“Unfortunately, we’re only able to run a very limited service on strike days so our advice must be to avoid using our trains on those days impacted by the industrial action.
“We know it affects so many passengers from those trying to get to work, school or college to football fans wanting to cheer on their teams in the first round of the FA Cup, as well as people wanting to enjoy an evening out in London.
“The rail industry will continue to talk to unions to try to resolve the strikes so we can get back to enjoying travelling by train as normal.”
Full information about the strike will be constantly updated at greateranglia.co.uk/strikes.
Already Booked Rail Tickets?
Passengers who have booked tickets to travel on strike days can get a free refund from the retailer where they were bought, change the date of travel or use the ticket to travel on the day before they were due to travel or up to and including Friday 11 November.
Other train companies affected by strikes on 5, 7 and 9 November are Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railway, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Govia Thameslink Railway, Great Western Railway, London North Eastern Railway, Merseyrail, Northern Trains, Southeastern Trains, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains.