West Midlands Trains services disrupted as rail workers go on strike

Staff said they were standing 'rock solid and determined' in their fight to put 'the safety and accessibility of the travelling public before the profits of the train operator'.

West Midlands rail workers have walked out in the first of a series of planned Saturday strikes, leaving services disrupted for commuters.

Pictures on social media show members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union ‘rock solid and determined’ as they mounted picket lines outside stations in places including Coventry, Crewe and Birmingham.

The action on West Midlands Trains is set to last 24 hours after starting at midnight.

Trains to Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Dudley, Kidderminster, Walsall, Smethwick and Birmingham were affected as staff continued their long-running fight against driver only operations.

A further six strikes are set to take place throughout November and December, with the union claiming driver-only operations on trains affect customer safety and accessibility.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: ‘RMT members are standing rock solid and determined this morning across the West Midlands Trains franchise as we fight to put the safety-critical role of the guard at the platform/train interface, and the safety and accessibility of the travelling public, before the profits of the train operator.

‘The inevitable and serious disruption to services today is wholly down to the company and their refusal to agree to the safest possible means of operation.

‘We will not allow the drive for profit to override the core issue of safe and accessible services for all on West Midlands Trains and we stand firm on that very basic principle.

‘We will never compromise on the issues of passenger safety and accessibility.’

A spokesman for West Midlands Trains has insisted driver only operations were never proposed by the company.

He said: ‘We are very disappointed this action by the RMT is going ahead.

‘A strike benefits nobody and will inconvenience businesses and thousands of local rail users.

‘There is no need for this action, we have never proposed driver only operation.

‘We are committed to keeping a safety-critical conductor on every passenger train.

‘In recent days, we proposed a solution which meets the latest demands from RMT, in respect of our new trains when they are delivered.

‘The solution means conductors retain responsibility for safe train dispatch from stations.

‘We remain determined to find a way of resolving this dispute without further disruption and inconvenience for our passengers.

‘We are running a reduced service on Saturday using managers who have guard competency. Passengers are advised to check their journey carefully before leaving home.’