Avanti cancels January train strikes to allow talks

Planned strike action on Avanti West Coast train services has been suspended for the rest of January.

The strike dates that are cancelled are Sunday 19 January and Sunday 26th January with the aim of allowing intensive talks to take place following recent approaches by Avanti to the RMT union.

RMT members who are train managers at Avanti West Coast are still planning to strike on each Sunday from 2 February until 25 May unless an agreement is reached.

"This suspension reflects our good will and commitment to finding a resolution to this rest day working dispute," a RMT spokesperson said.

"We are responding to overtures from Avanti and hope meaningful progress towards a negotiated settlement can be made during these talks," the spokesperson added.

RMT members had initially planned to strike in the run-up to Christmas 2024, but these plans were called off last-minute.

Before Christmas, the union said a revised proposal put to them was rejected by 83% of the 400 members involved in the dispute, before announcing new strike dates.

In a previous interview with the BBC, the RMT's general secretary Mick Lynch claimed that train companies have chosen to pay their own managers "extortionate rates" for working on their days off.

He said those who are union members are paid lower rates.

Avanti has previously said it is "disappointed" by the strikes and has advised customers to travel "either side of strike dates or claim a full refund."

It also warned that the reduced timetable on strike days could result in busy trains.