23 Jun Transport watchdog responds to summer travel disruption
Strike action on the railway and at airports through the summer likely to be very disruptive.
Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of London TravelWatch, said:
With RMT union members set for more rail strikes on 20, 22 and 29 July and security staff striking at Heathrow airport throughout much of July and August, travel is going to be extremely challenging for passengers this summer.
We know – rightly or wrongly – that many train companies rely on staff overtime to deliver a service that passengers expect. So, the announcement last week by ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, that their members will refuse to work any extra hours from Monday 3 to Saturday 8 July is another blow for passengers.
People may be getting used to planning their lives around strike days, but they still cause significant disruption and, in some cases, extra cost, especially when people are caught out by the delays and cancellations to services which spill over into the following day.
As families start getting ready for summer holidays, it’s time for all sides involved to bring an end to these seemingly endless disputes.
