Rail strikes bring commuter misery (From Ledbury Reporter)

Rail strikes bring commuter misery

10:49am Friday 29th December 2006 in News By Tarik Al Rasheed

FESTIVE travel plans are being hit hard by strikes across the Central Trains network, leaving scores of residents and visitors in Malvern stranded or struggling to find alternative arrangements.

No Central services ran from the town's railway stations on Christmas Eve, after the operator cancelled more than 400 trains due to industrial action over pay by senior conductors.

Passengers are facing more misery, with further strikes planned for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, after negotiations with the RMT union proved unsuccessful.

Retired Freda Georgeson, 61, came from Sheffield to spend Christmas at the Abbey Hotel. She made it to Birmingham, where she was stranded and had to wait more than two hours for a bus to Malvern.

Mrs Georgeson said she received little help from railway staff and that the seven-hour journey left her very tired on Christmas Day.

"It has not spoilt my Christmas but it's not been the holiday it should have been because of this," she said. "I can't believe that they would do that to the public. I will never use the trains at Christmas again."

“I can’t believe that they would do that to the public. I will never use the trains at Christmas again.”

Freda Georgeson

Andrew Pullen, 26, had problems getting from Worcester to Ledbury to spend Christmas with his family.

"I had no idea they were striking and I had to ring round my family to see if someone could give me a lift," he said. "I had all my presents with me and I don't drive There's not a chance I will use the trains at new year."

A much-reduced service could still run at new year if enough staff volunteer to work, but 23-year-old student Mark Holland, who is travelling to Malvern from Inverness, is taking no chances.

Mr Holland can get to Birmingham, but is not sure if he can complete his journey because Central has not confirmed which trains are running.

"One of my friends is going to drive to Birmingham to pick me up just in case I can't get to Malvern. It's a real pain, they want to be celebrating not driving," he said.

Central's managing director Steve Banaghan said they had done everything possible to reach an agreement and avoid the strikes.

He said: "Without senior conductors we can't run a train service, so this means passengers will be paying the price at one of the busiest times of the year for travel."

People are advised to check before setting off on journeys by calling National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950.