Fraudulent travel set to rise after ticket offices close
An increase in the number of passengers travelling without tickets is expected to cost London Midland more than £400,000 if proposals to close some ticket offices and reduce the hours at others go ahead. The figure comes from leaked documents which have been revealed by the RMT union, and follows a controversy last month when DfT emails seen by Railnews suggested that the decision to close some offices had already been made.
The Aslef pensions dispute which is disrupting East Midlands Trains again this week is showing signs of worsening, because the RMT is now also balloting its EMT members for industrial action. The operator's managing director David Horne has described the development as 'extremely unhelpful'.
Merseytravel has launched a programme to replace the ageing fleet of Merseyrail electric multiple units, and says it will start the tendering process later this summer. The fleet running on local lines in and around Liverpool was built more than 30 years ago, and is coming to the end of its life.
More strikes seem set to go ahead on East Midlands Trains, after talks to resolve a pensions dispute broke down. The walkouts involve more than 400 Aslef drivers. Services were reduced or replaced by buses on Tuesday and Thursday last week, when drivers staged 24-hour strikes in protest at company proposals which Aslef claims will 'weaken' their pension arrangements.
A collision between a CrossCountry train and a herd of cows on the line near Oxford left 200 passengers stranded for about four hours.
A strike by East Midlands Trains drivers is taking place today, while talks aimed at settling the dispute -- over pensions -- are also due to begin. EMT has said it expects to run more trains than during previous walkouts, but extensive disruption is still likely.
Disruption has been affecting East Midlands Trains as Aslef drivers stage another strike in protest at proposals to change their pension plans. Drivers walked out yesterday after two 24-hour stoppages last week, and further walkouts are planned tomorrow as well as on 15 and 17 May, although talks are set to take place.
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