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Three Enfield rail routes set for shutdown during February strikes

Services runs by Great Northern and Greater Anglia will be cancelled during two upcoming strike days but London Overground will still run

Great Northern train (credit Govia Thameslink)
Great Northern train (credit Govia Thameslink Railway)

Enfield’s three mainline rail routes will be completely shut down during two days of industrial action at the start of February.

Trains drivers working for Great Northern, which runs services along the Hertford Loop Line and the Great Eastern Main Line in western Enfield, and Greater Anglia, which runs services along the West Anglia Main Line in eastern Enfield, will walk out on strike on Wednesday 1st and Friday 3rd February in an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions.

Trade union Aslef called the strike earlier this month and has now confirmed that further talks with rail bosses had not resulted in any agreement. Train drivers who belong to the RMT union are also walking out.

The industrial action will force twelve railway stations in the borough Palmers Green, Winchmore Hill, Grange Park, Enfield Chase, Gordon Hill, Crews Hill, Enfield Lock, Brimsdown, Ponders End, Meridian Water, Hadley Wood and New Southgate to be completely closed on 1st and 3rd February. First services on Thursday 2nd and Saturday 4th will also start later than usual.

However, the strike does not include drivers for London Overground, who are employed by Transport for London, meaning services should run normally on the routes between Liverpool Street and Enfield Town and Cheshunt, via Edmonton Green.

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia’s managing director said: “We are very sorry that once again our customers will be disrupted by strikes. We’re only able to run a fraction of our usual services, so our advice again is to avoid using our trains on strike days. The rail industry is working hard to resolve these disputes and talks will continue with ASLEF and RMT to reach an agreement.”

Angie Doll, chief operating officer of Govia Thameslink Railway which runs Great Northern, said: “We’re really sorry for the inconvenience this strike action will cause, and ask you to plan ahead and make alternative arrangements.

“Regrettably, we’ll have no trains at all on Wednesday and Friday with a late start-up to the service each day after, from around 7.15am, when we’d encourage you to check online the train times for your specific station.

“These strikes are terrible for everyone and we hope the national negotiations come to a successful resolution soon.”

Aslef recently rejected a new pay proposal from the body representing train operating companies in Britain. Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: “The proposal is not and could not ever be acceptable but we are willing to engage in further discussions within the process that we previously agreed.”


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