Train strike: RMT calls off bank holiday strike action

Action possibly averts worst strike in twenty years

RMT have called off their strike action, averting the worst rail strike in twenty years.

Members of the union were due to walk out at 5pm on Monday, bringing widespread chaos to the British rail network.

An RMT spokesperson confirmed to The Independent that the union had “suspended the action” and said the decision had been reached following a “revised offer” from National Rail.

The spokesperson declined to give further details, but stressed that the action was not cancelled, merely suspended whilst the union “consulted in full with all members of our Network Rail representation.”

Although the possibility of strike action has been averted, it remains to be seen how many trains will run on Monday evening and Tuesday with many operators previously claiming they would not be running services irrespective of whether the strike was called off.

A Network Rail spokesperson told The Independent that as a result of both unions calling off their strikes they expect that all services over the bank holiday, including planned improvment work, will go ahead.

RMT's decision follows that of fellow union TSSA, which suspended its strike action earlier today following four days of talks with conciliation company Acas.

The full extent of the damage to the UK travel network has seemingly avoided was slowly being revealed today as numerous rail operators indicated that they would not be running any services at all.

Virgin Trains, which operates a busy north-south service, said that it had cancelled all West Coast services with East Coast also badly affected.

However, the company had indicated that should the strike be called off it hoped to run a “near normal” service, according to the BBC. The company did not respond to The Independent over requests for comment.