Rail strikes - essential info for North East passengers as services suspended

Network Rail has warned that co-ordinated action by a number of unions will mean no trains can operate north of York on Saturday, October 1, or north of Newcastle on Saturday, October 8.

And a severely limited special timetable will operate on the East Coast Main Line – which connects Durham and Newcastle stations to London King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverley – between 7.30am and 6.30pm on Wednesday, October 5.

Passengers are being advised to check before they set off and only travel by train if necessary.

The action also means changes to services on the intervening days as workers return to their duties, so passengers should continue to check before they travel via National Rail or their train operator’s website throughout the week.

Major engineering work in Newcastle will continue as planned between Saturday, October 1, and Monday, October 10, despite the strikes.

Sarah Reid, East Coast Route Director for Network Rail, said: “It’s disappointing to see that our passengers are faced with a severely limited train service as unions embark on another round of strike action.

“Despite this, I’m pleased that we’re still pushing ahead with our major work in Newcastle to deliver smoother, more reliable journeys for passengers. Doing this work now will help us to keep the railway open for longer in the future and minimise disruption.

“Our advice to passengers who really need to take the train, especially those travelling north of York, is to plan ahead, check your journey and expect significant disruption throughout the week.”

For the latest updates, visit networkrail.co.uk/industrial-action.