Rail passengers across parts of the West Midlands are being advised to travel only if necessary later this week as a two-day strike is set to cause widespread disruption across the regional rail network.
The industrial action will affect West Midlands Railway services on 22 and 23 May, impacting routes serving Birmingham and the Black Country, Wolverhampton, Warwickshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire.
West Midlands Railway said a “very limited service” will operate during the walkout, which has been organised by members of the TSSA trade union.
Managing director Ian McConnell said the operator remains hopeful that talks can resolve the dispute.
“We encourage TSSA to continue talks with us to reach a resolution to this dispute,” he said.
Reduced Timetable And Early Service Shutdowns
A significantly reduced timetable will run on both strike days, with no trains operating after 19:00 BST on Friday 22 May. Services will also begin later than usual on Saturday 23 May, with the first trains not departing until 07:00 BST.
West Midlands Railway confirmed there will be no trains on routes operating via Birmingham Snow Hill, Birmingham’s Camp Hill Line or between Nuneaton and Leamington Spa during the strike period.
Services on the Shrewsbury and Hereford lines will also be completely suspended.
Limited Services On Key Routes
Some services will continue to operate at a heavily reduced frequency throughout the disruption.
The Cross City Line between Lichfield Trent Valley and Redditch or Bromsgrove via Birmingham New Street will run with two trains per hour.
The Wolverhampton to Walsall route via Birmingham New Street will operate with one train per hour, while the Rugeley Trent Valley to Birmingham International service via Birmingham New Street will also be limited to one train per hour.
Passengers are being warned to expect additional short-notice cancellations and fewer carriages on operating services, potentially leading to overcrowding during busy travel periods.
Disruption May Continue Beyond Strike Days
West Midlands Railway also warned that disruption could continue into 24 May because of train displacement caused by the strike action.
The operator is encouraging passengers to check before travelling and allow extra time for journeys where travel remains necessary.
The dispute adds further pressure to the UK rail network at the start of the busy late-May travel period, with commuters and leisure passengers across the Midlands expected to face significant delays and altered travel plans.
