Northern to run '40% reduced train services' on RMT's planned strike day

The RMT union has planned a walkout on Monday in a dispute over plans to bring in more driver-only-operated (DOO) trains

Rail company Northern has released details of a reduced train service in preparation for industrial action planned for Monday.

The RMT union is disputing plans to bring in more driver-only-operated (DOO) trains.

Northern said it would run about 40% of its normal timetable if the walkout goes ahead.

Southern rail and Merseyrail, which are due to strike on 13 March, have also altered their services.

The RMT announced the walkouts in a dispute with rail operators over plans to remove the responsibility of opening and closing train doors from guards.

General secretary Mick Cash said the measures would make trains potentially dangerous.

Northern, which operates across the north of England, said it expected to run about 980 services "carrying more than 100,000 customers across many but not all of its routes".

More than 100 trained managers and other colleagues would be taking on some of the conductor duties on the day of the action, the train operator said.

'Scab timetable'

Deputy managing director Richard Allan said: "We have focused our planning efforts on maintaining a train service on our busier routes between 07:00 and 19:00 GMT, and are looking to provide replacement bus services on some routes where trains won't run."

He said he was disappointed at RMT's decision to take action "because there is lots of time to talk and agree how we modernise the way we provide customer service".

He added: "As part of our proposals we are prepared to offer guarantees on jobs and pay to our people."

RMT described it as a "scab timetable" and said it "comes at the price of passenger safety".

Merseyrail also said it would run a reduced service on Monday with trains running every half hour between 07:00 and 19:00. It also said timetables were likely to change during the walkout.

Southern said a number of its train services would not run including those between Clapham and Milton Keynes, London and Brighton.