TRAIN operators running through York and North Yorkshire continue to advise passengers to only travel if necessary after yesterday's strike.

Yesterday marked the first date of the country's biggest rail strike since 1989, which sees around 40,000 rail staff, who are members of the RMT union, across 13 train operators, walk out over disputes concerning no pay rise over the last three years, pensions, and working conditions.

The remaining strike dates are tomorrow (Thursday, June 23) and Saturday, June 25, however disruption is due to continue on the non-strike dates in between, with firms still running a limited, albeit more frequent service.

The four rail operators which run to and from York Station are Northern Trains, CrossCountry, LNER and TransPennine Express.

Northern:

Northern Trains are advising customers to not travel on all days up to Sunday, June 26, as they are only able to operate limited services, with trains not starting as early or finishing as late.

Plus, no rail replacement buses, or alternative travel arrangements can be provided by Northern.

Tony Baxter, regional director for Northern, said: “We’ve done everything we can to offer people across the North of England a skeleton service – but our advice remains not to travel.

“The timetable we had in place yesterday (Tuesday) was agreed with Network Rail, who had to consider the requirements of other train operators and freight services on the network.

“We apologise to customers for the disruption and inconvenience that the RMT’s industrial action this week will cause.

“We continue to be keen to speak to the RMT to find a resolution and avoid any future strikes.”

On the strike days, the rail firm is only able to run on the York to Leeds route in North Yorkshire.

CrossCountry:

A CrossCountry spokesperson told The Press: "Services ran smoothly yesterday with passengers heeding the advice to only travel if necessary.

“We advise passengers to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary tomorrow as they will be a reduced timetable with services finishing earlier in the evening.”

Cross Country have said that customers who bought a train ticket to travel on the strike days are permitted to travel on any earlier date up to and including Tuesday, June 28 on a like for like basis.

TransPennine Express:

Transpennine are running a significantly reduced service and are urging customers to make alternative travel arrangements if possible.

A spokesperson for TransPennine Express said: “While no strike is taking place today, this week’s action by the RMT continues to cause significant disruption to our services, with the impact also being felt on the days in-between the strikes.  

“We are doing all we can to keep those making essential trips moving, and are urging anyone that absolutely has to make a journey by rail this week to plan very carefully and check before they travel.”

This includes the days between the strike action, and customers are advised to check the alternative timetables this week before travelling and plan ahead.

On the remaining strike days themselves, Scarborough, Malton and Selby stations will be completely closed with no services, and a very limited service will be running on the Manchester Piccadilly to York line.

LNER:

On both the non-strike days, LNER will be running train roughly every half an hour from 8.35am to 11.12pm, and have reported that they have ran a 'good service' today.