Blackpool campaigner slams unions over further rail walk-outs

Members of the Rail, maritime and Transport Union (RMT) will strike on August 25, and September 1 and 8.

The union says passenger safety will be put at risk by getting rid of guards and extending driver-only services.

Richard Allan, deputy managing director of Northern, called the new strike dates “disappointing and frustrating”.

Blackpool-based Sector Champion Rail Stephen Brookes called for an end to the dispute.

He said: “Once again rail passengers and visitors to Blackpool are going to be caught in the overlong and tedious dispute between Northern and the RMT union.

“As a disabled rail passenger, I do feel that both sides seem to have given up bothering about their paying passengers, and are just trying to score points off each other with disingenuous sound bites.

“As other areas and companies have come to an agreement, what will it take for both sides here to remember that they are damaging the livelihoods and ability of service users to go about their businesses?

“Northern need to see that they can’t go on with actions that passenger don’t want, and the RMT need to see that if passenger numbers drop anymore they won’t have jobs anyway.”