Train services through Flintshire disrupted this morning following Wednesday’s rail strike action

Train services have continued to be disrupted through Flintshire this morning following a 24-hour strike which crippled the rail network across the UK on Wednesday.

A number of trains on the Wrexham to Bidston line, which serves local railway stations including Shotton, Hawarden and Buckley, have started late this morning (Thursday, July 28).

Transport for Wales (TfW) has said the late running trains between Wrexham and Bidston “is due to industrial action yesterday.”

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at Network Rail and 14 train companies walked out on Wednesday in a long-running dispute over jobs, pay and conditions.

The majority of rail services across the Wales and Borders network were suspended as a result of the industrial action.

TfW is not in dispute with RMT but the train operator is unable to operate rail services when Network Rail workers go on strike.

This morning the first two trains on the Wrexham to Bidston line had been ‘rescheduled’ to start later without any notice to rail users.

Posting a message to TFW, Tim Brown (@timbtweet) said on Twitter: “@tfwrail have stopped 1st 2 trains Bidston-Wxm again today so I can’t commute.”

“But they’re not ‘cancelled’ they’re rescheduled”.

“Ignore timetable, just run trains when you can be bothered then.”

@tfwrail have stopped 1st 2 trains Bidston-Wxm again today so I can’t commute. But they’re not ‘cancelled’ they’re rescheduled 🤔. Ignore timetable, just run trains when you can be bothered then. @DeesideDotCom @WBRailUA pic.twitter.com/SzIEnmZnBL

— Tim Brown (@timbtweet) July 28, 2022

In response, ^Owen from @tfwrail said: “Hi Tim, I am sorry, due to the impact of the industrial action yesterday, our services have been altered to start later today.”

Tim noted that “It was the same on morning of 26th before ‘industrial action’. So What happened then – I asked three times on Tuesday but no one replied.”

RMT has announced that further strike action will take place on Thursday 18 August and Saturday 20 August, “which will significantly disrupt the rail network across the whole of the UK.” TfW has said.

“The majority of rail services across the Wales and Borders network will be suspended on 18 August and 20 August. We’ll have more information on our timetable soon.”