Rail services across the Harrogate district look set to be hit by cancellations over the half-term holiday as trade union members go on strike over pay and conditions.

The strikes are set to effect services to Harrogate and Knaresborough between Leeds and York.

Industrial action by ASLEF and the RMT unions will hit the region’s train services on three days next week. ASLEF, which largely represents train drivers, will stage its action on Wednesday, May 31 and Saturday, June 3. Customers are advised to avoid travel on those days.

The RMT union, whose 20,000 members work as caterers, train managers and station staff, has announced its own action on Friday, June 2. On that day, customers are advised to check revised timetables before they travel as only a limited service will be in operation.

Train operator Northern said that early-morning and late-night services on Thursday, June 1 would also likely be affected, due to the impact that strikes have on fleet displacement.

In a press release about the national industrial action, ASLEF said:

“Most of the drivers have not had a pay increase at all since 2019 and, with inflation still well over 10% and the cost of living spiralling, this is not acceptable.”

Travellers are advised to check revised timetables before leaving home.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said:

“The government is once again not allowing the Rail Delivery Group to make an improved offer that we can consider. Therefore, we have to pursue our industrial campaign to win a negotiated settlement on jobs, pay and conditions.”

Northern’s new summer timetable came into effect at the weekend. While most services will run as normal, the train operator is urging people who make regular trips on the same trains to use the Check My Timetable feature on its website to see details specific to their local station.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said:

“We apologise, once again, for the disruption this action by ASELF and the RMT will cause to our customers.

“This latest round of industrial action looks set to hamper people’s opportunity to explore the region during the half-term holidays. It’s understandably very frustrating.

“We all want to see an end to this dispute and the uncertainty that on-going strike action causes to people’s confidence in the railway.”

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Rail services in Harrogate and Knaresborough are set to be affected by a fresh wave of strikes this week.

Train drivers’ union ASLEF will walk out on Friday, May 12, prompting train operator Northern to cancel all services.

RMT members will strike on Saturday, May 13, leading Northern to operate only hourly services on a small number of key routes between 7am and 7pm.

Further information is available here.

Although there is no strike action on Sunday, May 14, services are expected to start later in the morning than normal due to what Northern has described as “fleet displacement”.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said:

“It is disappointing to see the return of industrial action to the rail network.

“Whilst all strikes disrupt someone, these particular dates will have a significant impact on people travelling on our network to celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool.

“Given the context in which the UK is hosting this international event – on behalf of the people of Ukraine – this is particularly unfortunate.”

Northern’s guide to upcoming services

A statement on ASLEF’s website blamed the action on “failure of management to offer a fair deal on pay”. It added:

“Most of the drivers have not had a pay increase at all since 2019 and with inflation still well over 10% and the cost of living spiralling, this is not acceptable.”

Further ASLEF action, known as ‘action short of strike’ will take place for five consecutive days from May 15 to 20.

Northern is urging people to check train times before they travel’ as early morning and late night services may be affected.

ASLEF members are also due to walk out on May 31 and June 1 on which there will be no Northern services.

New timetable

This month’s strike action comes ahead of Northern introducing its new summer timetable on Sunday, May 21.

Customers who make regular journeys on the same train times are advised to check before they travel as some services may have been re-timed.

More information is available here.

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Rail workers and teachers will be on strike in the Harrogate district today as part of the latest wave of industrial action.

More than 400,000 workers in various sectors took part in strikes yesterday in the biggest day of industrial action since unrest began last year.

They included the first of two planned teachers’ strikes by members of the National Education Union. Picket lines are expected to form outside schools in the district again today.

Today also sees RMT members at 14 train operators, including Northern, stage the first of four planned 24-hour strikes. The next one is due on Saturday.

Northern, whose services include those passing through Harrogate and Knaresborough, will run an amended strike timetable on the affected days, with a 12-hour operation on selected routes from 7am to 7pm.

Northern’s guide to services in the days ahead.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, urged customers to check before they travel.

Ms Williams said:

“We’re expecting the skeleton services we can run to be very busy – so customers should plan ahead and check before they travel.

“Given the reduced timetable only runs until 7pm, I’m very keen to stress that people should check their ‘last train home’ on those dates – so that customers don’t find themselves stranded at the wrong end of the line as a result of this action by the RMT.”

Junior doctors staged a picket line on Wetherby Road near Harrogate District Hospital on Monday as part of a 72-hour strike that finished yesterday.

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Commuters in the Harrogate district are set for further disruption this morning as no trains will operate due to strike action.

Members of train drivers’ union the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) and the RMT union are set to walk out today in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Northern, which operates services between Leeds and York, has confirmed no trains will run throughout the day.

The operator added that some services on Saturday (February 4) after the strikes may be also be affected.

A statement from Northern urged passengers to check services before they travel this weekend.

Meanwhile, LNER has also told commuters to check services before travelling during the strikes.

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Besides train drivers, nurses and ambulance workers are set to strike in the Harrogate district on Monday.

Unless strikes are averted, the Royal College of Nursing plans to carry out two days of industrial action on February 6 and 7.

Unite has scheduled another ambulance strike in Harrogate on the same day.

A picket line operated at Harrogate Rail Station this morning as the latest wave of strikes by the RMT union draws to a close.

Union members are expected to picket the station again tomorrow before trains begin to run a limited service on Sunday.

No further strikes are currently planned and normal service is due to resume on the Harrogate and Knaresborough line on Monday for the first time in more than three weeks due to strikes, an overtime ban and bank holidays.

Pickets told the Stray Ferret the main reasons they were striking were concerns over passenger safety and working conditions, rather than pay.

An RMT member at Harrogate station today.

They said ticket offices faced closure and safety would be compromised by cuts to staff unless they took action.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has said “it’s time for the unions to get off the picket line and back round the table” and claimed he has “delivered new, improved pay and reform offers”.

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Rail operator Northern has warned of ongoing disruption until January 9.

The company, which operates the Leeds to York line that passes through Harrogate and Knaresborough, has published a calendar highlighting its travel guidance to customers over Christmas and the New Year.

It shows the next day of normal service is not for another 21 days.

Northern has blamed the situation predominantly on the RMT union, even though it only has strikes planned from January 3 to 7. However, an RMT national overtime ban from December 18 to January 2 has also affected services.

The union has accused the government of interfering in negotiations with Network Rail to reach a settlement on jobs, pay and conditions.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said:

“The main cause of the disruption remains industrial action by the RMT union and we can only apologise to our customers for the inconvenience it will cause to their journeys.”

Northern’s new timetable came into effect just before this extended period of disruption, so it is advising customers to use the new Check My Timetable feature on its website to see the changes specific to their local station.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with nearly 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.

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No trains will run from Harrogate and Knaresborough to Leeds and York for five days this week.

RMT Union members will walkout from today until Saturday (December 17) in a dispute over pay and conditions.

The strikes will be the latest to hit the Harrogate district rail network this year.

Northern, which operates services from Harrogate and Knaresborough towards Leeds and York, has warned passengers not to travel as no replacement bus services will be running.

Services will resume on Sunday (December 18), but Northern has urged passengers to check before they travel.

Meanwhile, no LNER services from Harrogate to London King’s Cross will run until Sunday.

A table issued by Northern warning passengers of days with industrial action.

It said in a statement:

“On strike days, only travel by rail if necessary and if you do travel, expect severe disruption and plan ahead – especially the first and last trains of the day.

“If you do decide to travel, there will be very limited services running across the whole rail network so remember to check your entire journey as other train service providers may be affected.

“There will be no rail replacement buses on strike days for Northern services and some Northern stations may be closed or have reduced hours due to the limited staffing and services.”

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Rail operator Northern has told passengers to expect six days of disruption during the next wave of strikes.

The RMT union has scheduled strikes on Saturday, November 5, Monday, November 7 and Wednesday, November 9 as part of an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions.

Northern, which operates the line passing through Knaresborough and Harrogate, today advised people not to travel by train on those days.

It also warned that “services are also expected to be affected”  on November 6, 8 and 10 November.

The company added disruption would occur “especially in the morning, so please check before you travel”.

The RMT previously announced a strike on November 3, however, this was cancelled and Northern said trains will be operating as usual that day.

The company said in a statement:

“On strike days, only travel by rail if necessary and if you do travel, expect severe disruption and plan ahead — especially the first and last trains of the day.  Remember to check your entire journey as other train service providers may be affected.

“Advanced tickets will be withdrawn from sale, until an alternative strike timetable is in place.”

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A picket line is operating outside Harrogate train station this morning as rail strikes resume.

The RMT union and Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Aslef) are striking today, Wednesday and next Saturday over pay and conditions.

Previous industrial action was cancelled because it coincided with the Queen’s mourning period.

The strikes have affected some people travelling to Harrogate for the three-day Green Party autumn conference, which started yesterday, as well as football fans that planned to catch the train for today’s Harrogate Town vs Bradford City derby at 1pm.

About 15 picketers turned up to support the action today.

Rail passengers have also been warned to expect disruption on Harrogate’s LNER services from today until October 9.

Major engineering works in the Newcastle area by Network Rail will affect many services on the LNER route during this period.

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Train services between Harrogate and Leeds look set be affected by three days of strikes in the next two weeks.

Both the RMT union and Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen have announced industrial action this Saturday (October 1), Wednesday (October 5) and next Saturday (October 8).

Northern, which operates services between Harrogate and Knaresborough towards Leeds and York, has urged passengers not to travel on days when strike action is being held.

A statement from the company said:

“As a result of ASLEF and RMT strike action, Northern customers are advised not to travel on Saturday 1, Wednesday 5 or Saturday 8 October.

“Services are also expected to be affected on Sunday 2 and Sunday 9 October, especially in the morning, so please check before you travel.”

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The strike action comes as rail passengers have also been warned to expect disruption on Harrogate’s LNER services from October 1.

Major engineering works in the Newcastle area by Network Rail will affect many services on the LNER route during this period.

The company operates six daily direct trains from Harrogate to London.

The disruption is set to last until October 9.