Chiltern Railways staff will walk out for 24 hours in protest against plans to give drivers control of carriage doors on the new East West Rail (EWR) line.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has raised “extreme safety concerns” about the proposal.
Tony Baxter, interim managing director of Chiltern Railways, said the firm was “disappointed” by the vote in favour of industrial action.
“Every East West Rail service will have two people on board, the driver, and a colleague looking after passengers.
“We have run most of our trains with the driver in control of the doors for decades, safely and as approved by the independent rail regulator.
“We remain committed to working with the RMT to resolve this, and urge them to work with us so passengers can start benefiting from this new railway as soon as possible.”
The Department for Transport (DfT) has defended the driver-only operation, noting that Chiltern has “run most of its network for decades with the driver in full control of the doors” and that the model is approved by the independent rail regulator.
READ MORE: Rail staff set for strikes over £7bn East West Rail dispute
Tony Baxter, interim managing director of Chiltern Railways. (Image: Chiltern Railways)
The EWR line, which will eventually connect Oxford and Cambridge via Milton Keynes and Bedford, is now expected to be completed in the mid to late 2030s.
The infrastructure between Oxford and Milton Keynes was due to begin services by the end of December 2025, but has faced significant delays.
Earlier this month, Chiltern Railways was brought into public ownership after 30 years as a privately operated company.
It is now the 10th rail company to be managed by Great British Railways (GBR), part of the government’s wider programme to bring passenger rail services back under public control.
The Government says the move will save money and improve services.
#Chiltern #Railways #issues #statement #7bn #East #West #Rail #strikes #loom