As you may be aware, the next dates for National rail strikes are between Friday 1 and Saturday 9 December.
Industrial action is being taken by members of the ASLEF union, representing train drivers, and will affect 16 train companies. This is being conducted in a new staggered approach, affecting different train operators on different days. Unfortunately, this will mean that customers could be impacted by a complicated period of reduced services, possible delays and disruption.
EMR services will be extremely busy throughout the industrial action and customers may not be able to board their preferred service. We are asking customers to check EMR’s website and understand how their full journey is impacted before travelling.
Please check the EMR website for the latest information
Online journey planners will be available on the following days:
- For Friday 1 to Sunday 3 December online journey planners are now live
- For Monday 4 to Friday 7 December online journey planners will be updated on Tuesday 28 November
- For Saturday 9 December online journey planners will be updated on Friday 1 December
A summary of services on these days is below:
Friday 1 December – Action short of strike, check before you travel, services may be busier
EMR are expecting to run a normal timetable on this day. However, trains are subject to short notice alterations and cancellations.
Services will likely be extremely busy due to no EMR services on Saturday 2 December.
Saturday 2 December – Strike Day, No EMR Services, Do not travel
Members of the ASLEF union, representing train drivers, will take strike action on Saturday 2 December.
Therefore, no EMR services will be operating on this date. Rail Replacement Bus services will not be provided.
Strike action is taking place on LNER and other train operators may be running a reduced service due to action short of strike. Customers are advised to check their full journey before travelling.
Sunday 3 December – Action short of strike, strike action affecting other train operators, only travel if necessary
EMR services will be extremely busy due to strike action taking place affecting the following train operators: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, Great Northern Thameslink, London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway.
Additionally, major upgrades to signalling on the East Coast Mainline are taking place on Sunday 3 December, meaning no LNER trains will run to or from London King’s Cross.
This will mean a significant increase in customers using EMR Intercity services – especially at London St Pancras as EMR will be the only operator running in and out of the Capital. In order to manage this safely, a number of EMR Regional services have had to be cancelled to free up resources, and changes have had to be made to the calling patterns. Crowd management provisions, including queuing systems, will be in place. Customers will face extended journey times and may not be able to board the service they planned for.
EMR service levels will be as follows:
EMR Intercity
- No services will call at Bedford and Luton
EMR Connect
- Planned to run normal Sunday timetable
Southbound Connect services start at 10:00 (From Corby to Kettering only)
- First southbound service from Corby to London St Pancras – 11:41
- First northbound service from London St Pancras to Corby – 12:14
EMR Regional
- No services will run between Derby and Crewe
- No services will run between Sleaford and Skegness
- No services will run between Nottingham and Liverpool Lime Street
Customers are advised to check their full journey before travelling and to only travel if necessary.
Monday 4 December – Action short of strike, check before travelling
EMR are expecting to run a normal timetable on this day, however trains are subject to short notice alterations and cancellations.
Customers are advised to check their full journey before travelling.
Tuesday 5 December – Action short of strike, strike action affecting other operators, check before travelling
Strike action is taking place affecting the following train operators: c2c, Greater Anglia and Stansted Express.
As a result of the strike action, our Norwich-Liverpool services are expected to be exceptionally busy between Norwich and Peterborough.
EMR are expecting to run a normal timetable on this day, however trains are subject to short notice alterations and cancellations.
Customers are advised to check their full journey before travelling.
Wednesday 6 December – Action short of strike, strike action affecting other operators, check before travelling
Strike action is taking place affecting the following train operators: Southeastern, Southern / Gatwick Express and South Western Railway.
EMR are expecting to run a normal timetable on this day, however trains are subject to short notice alterations and cancellations.
Customers are advised to check their full journey before travelling.
Thursday 7 December – Action short of strike, strike action affecting other operators, check before travelling
Strike action is taking place affecting the following train operators: CrossCountry, Great Western Railway and Heathrow Express. Please check your full journey before travelling.
As a result of the strike action, EMR services are expected to be exceptionally busy between Nottingham and Derby, Sheffield and Derby and Peterborough and Ely.
EMR are expecting to run a normal timetable on this day, however trains are subject to short notice alterations and cancellations.
Customers are advised to check their full journey before travelling.
Friday 8 December – Action short of strike, strike action affecting other operators, check before travelling
Strike actions is taking place affecting the following train operators: Northern and Transpennine Express.
EMR are expecting to run a normal timetable for the majority of the network on this day, however trains are subject to short notice alterations and cancellations.
EMR will run a planned timetable that will be advertised in advance between Liverpool Lime Street – Norwich on this day, however due to being the only operator running between Liverpool and Nottingham, services along this route will be exceptionally busy.
EMR are currently working on an amended plan for this day and customers are advised that on this route they will face extended journey times and may not be able to board the service they planned for. Customers should expect queues and longer journey times.