“Better days are coming – they are called Saturday and Sunday!” So said rail firm LNER in a social media post on Friday morning. In fact, weekend services on the main train operator on the East Coast main line will be far worse than usual – even though a planned train drivers’ strike has been called off . The planned series of 11 successive weekend strikes was abandoned by the train drivers’ union, Aslef , on Thursday evening.
The union’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, said: “We are pleased to have finally resolved this long-standing issue with LNER of abuse of our agreements. We look forward to normal working resuming.” But because of the way that train drivers’ rosters are organised, there is no prospect of reinstating the vast majority of cancelled trains on 31 August and 1 September.
LNER said: “Due to the late-notice cancellation of the strike action, a significantly reduced timetable will still be operating.” A skeleton schedule will run on the main London-York-Newcastle-Edinburgh route with departures roughly between 8am and 5pm. At 8.
30am on Friday, only one seat is shown as available on any direct LNER train from Edinburgh to London through the weekend. The single seat, priced at £119, is on the 4.30pm train on Saturday which arrives at King’s Cross in the English capital five hours later.
The state-run rail firm said: “Where possible we will attempt to run a small number of additional trains over the weekend.” Passengers who want to t.