Rail strikes: No trains for Mansfield, Sutton and Kirkby today

Members of the RMT Union are striking today and on Thursday and Saturday, June 21, 23 and 25, after last-ditch talks to resolve the dispute failed.

East Midlands Railway – which runs services on the Robin Hood Line between Nottingham and Worksop, via Mansfield – has been working on contingency plans to provide as many services as possible, but said the opening hours of the railway and the number of services will be significantly reduced, including full closure of the Robin Hood Line.

An EMR spokesman said: “Our colleagues at Network Rail are also affected by strike action and therefore their ability to operate the infrastructure is also significantly reduced.

“This includes maintenance staff who renew and repair the infrastructure as well as colleagues working in control and signalling roles who ensure the safe operation of our railway.

“Network Rail will continue to operate their larger control centres, such as the East Midlands Control Centre in Derby, but with reduced numbers of staff. There will not be sufficient staff to additionally operate smaller sites and signal boxes.

“Lines of route which are controlled from these smaller sites and signal boxes will therefore be closed on strike days.”

It said no services will operate on the Robin Hood Line, serving Newstead, Kirkby, Sutton Parkway, Mansfield, Mansfield Woodhouse, Shirebrook and Langwith-Whaley Thorns stations,

Hourly services will operate on a number of other EMR routes, including the Midland Main Line between London and Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield.

Rail replacement bus services will not be provided where lines are closed as there is not enough capacity to meet demand. 

‘Wrong decision’

Will Rogers, EMR managing director, said: “We are extremely disappointed the RMT has decided to strike on June 21, 23 and 25.  This is the wrong decision for the railway and communities we serve.

“There will be changes to our normal timetable and some parts of our network will have no train services on strike days and other lines will have a reduced level of service. I would urge all customers to think carefully about their journeys next week – and make alternative arrangements if possible.”

Customers are asked to only travel by train if absolutely necessary. If customers are travelling, they are asked to plan ahead and leave extra time for their journey. This includes the days between strikes as EMR expects the knock-on effects of the strikes to impact services on the following days, particularly on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

For more information, including timetables, advice on refunds and ticket exchanges and answers to the most asked questions, see eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk

Announcing the strikes, over salary and job losses, Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, said: “Railway workers have been treated appallingly and despite our best efforts in negotiations, the rail industry with the support of the government has failed to take their concerns seriously.

“We have a cost-of-living crisis and it is unacceptable for railway workers to either lose their jobs or face another year of a pay freeze when inflation is at 11.1 per cent and rising.

“Our union will now embark on a sustained campaign of industrial action which will shut down the railway system.”