Avanti West Coast train staff cancel two strike days to allow for ‘intensive talks’

Strikes by Avanti West Coast train staff scheduled for the next two Sundays have been suspended to allow for “intensive talks”, raising hopes that a run of planned disruption every weekend until June could be called off.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said that the next two dates in the series of Sunday strikes by onboard train managers would be called off in the hope of making “meaningful progress” in negotiations with the intercity rail operator.

Train services on Britain’s biggest intercity line were to be reduced to one an hour between London and cities including Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, with some other direct routes from the capital – including those into Wales, Preston and the Lake District – cut completely.

RMT members have been taking industrial action in a dispute over rest-day working and are still scheduled to continue Sunday strikes until the end of May unless a long-term breakthrough can be found.

An RMT spokesperson said: “This suspension reflects our goodwill and commitment to finding a resolution to this rest day working dispute. We are responding to overtures from Avanti and hope meaningful progress towards a negotiated settlement can be made during these talks.”

Avanti had advised customers to avoid travel on Sunday, owing to a reduced timetable and anticipated crowding on remaining trains.

Industrial action has continued to plague Avanti despite the resolution of the wider rail strikes by the RMT and the drivers’ union, Aslef, last year.

Union members voted to strike in December over the larger payments made to senior managers who volunteered to cover train crew on rest days.

The RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch, who is stepping down in May, said at the time that the union was “sending a clear message to management that the current arrangements are unacceptable … Our members have had enough and this strike action demonstrates their determination to win a fair deal.”

The train managers had already called off strikes scheduled for 22, 23 and 29 December while members considered an offer. However, that was rejected, leading to action on New Year’s Eve and 2 January and the announcement of the run of Sunday strikes.

Avanti bosses have described the walkouts as “disappointing”. The company, a joint venture between FirstGroup and Trenitalia, has struggled with long-term staff shortages and a breakdown in industrial relations.

It was given a fresh contract in late 2023, with warnings to improve, but still cancelled almost 8% of its trains in 2024.