Rail strikes October 2022: Passengers warned of planned disruption to train services in Peterborough

Strike action is to set to cause major travel disruption on October 1 for many Peterborough rail users.

Thousands of railway workers are taking industrial action in a move that will mean fewer trains between Peterborough and London and no services at all beyond York.

East Midlands Railway services will only operate between 07.30am and 6.30 pm.

These will include one train an hour in both directions between Nottingham and London, and Sheffield and London. There will also be just hourly services between Nottingham and other major locations such as Derby and Leicester, but other routes will be closed.

The strike is the first of three days of industrial action planned this month by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) and Aslef in protest over pay, jobs and conditions. Industrial action is also planned on October 5 and October 8.

The RMT says 40,000 of its members at Network Rail and 15 train operators will walk out on October 8.

Train operators have drawn up revised timetables for the strike days and are urging passengers before they leave home to check that services are running.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said the absence of any new offer from bosses meant strike action would continue.

He said: “As no new offer has been tabled, our members have no choice but to continue this strike action.”

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “This latest strike will again mean very significant disruption for passengers, and we’ll be asking people to only travel if absolutely necessary due to the reduced service that will be in place.”

A spokesperson for rail service operator LNER said: “Timetables for October 1 will be available from Tuesday.

“We are reviewing the impact of future action and will provide an update when further timetables are available.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Thousands of people will have their day-to-day lives disrupted and be unable to attend work, doctor’s appointments, or travel to meet loved ones.

“Our railway is in desperate need of modernisation but all more strikes will do is take it back to the dark ages and push passengers further away.

“We urge union bosses to reconsider.”