Festive travel disruption in Manchester during Unite strike

Festive travel disruption in Manchester is on the horizon after Unite announced that Metrolink staff will strike from Friday 05 December to Sunday 07 December, as first reported by Railway-News. The walkout, called over tram driver fatigue, is expected to hit tram services across the city hard, including routes that serve the Christmas markets.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Unite strike action at Manchester Metrolink

Under the Unite strike action, a total of 320 employees of KeolisAmey Metrolink Limited are due to take part. Unite members based at the Warwick Road South and Queens Road depots in the city will be among those walking out, as drivers withdraw their labour in protest at existing working patterns throughout the weekend. The Manchester Metrolink strike is therefore expected to affect key routes that passengers rely on during the festive period.

Don’t miss…UNIFE welcomes Military Mobility Package for EU rail

According to Unite the Union, Metrolink drivers are rostered to work 450 hours over a 12-week period. This results in patterns where they can be on duty for 50-hour stretches followed by only two days off. The union also says drivers receive fewer rest days than colleagues in other parts of the business, such as engineering and customer support, and links this imbalance to driver fatigue.

Shift patterns, rest days and passenger safety concerns

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham characterises driver fatigue as a major safety issue for both staff and passengers. She accuses Metrolink management of failing to take members’ concerns seriously and argues that the company can no longer ignore them. Graham has also made clear that Unite will give its full backing to members for the duration of the tram driver fatigue dispute and the Unite tram driver strike in Manchester.

From the union’s perspective, the dispute centres on passenger safety concerns arising from long shifts and limited recovery time. Unite maintains that adjusting shift patterns and rest-day arrangements is essential if fatigue is to be reduced and both employees and the travelling public on Metrolink services are to be properly protected.

How festive travel disruption in Manchester hits major events?

As highlighted in local coverage such as the Rochdale Times, the timing of the industrial action in early December means that festive travel disruption in Manchester is likely to affect a range of major events. The city’s annual Christmas markets are expected to feel the impact particularly strongly, as many visitors depend on Metrolink services to move between different parts of the city during the festive season. Travel to concerts featuring Ed Sheeran, Jamiroquai and Pete Tong is also expected to be disrupted as trams are taken out of service.

Matchday transport is another concern. Services for the Manchester City vs Sunderland game at the Etihad Stadium on 6 December are likely to be affected by the Manchester Metrolink festive strike, so fans are being advised to allow extra time and consider alternative routes if the industrial action goes ahead as planned.

Unite regional officer Colin Hayden says Metrolink staff feel they have no choice but to walk out in order to highlight their concerns about safety and working conditions. He acknowledges that passengers will find the disruption frustrating, but insists responsibility for the Unite tram driver strike rests with the employer. Hayden is calling on Metrolink to return to the negotiating table with a meaningful proposal that addresses fatigue and working conditions, so that this disruptive action can be avoided.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed: