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Rail strike disrupts passengers Rail strike 'cripples' services
(about 3 hours later)
Thousands of rail passengers face disruption for the next 48 hours as National Express East Anglia workers go on strike over pay and conditions. A strike by rail unions has caused major disruption on National Express East Anglia train services, unions say.
Trains in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex will be affected, including routes into London and Stansted airport. The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) and Aslef unions said the 48-hour action, part of a dispute over pay and conditions, had "crippled" services.
National Express warned it would only be able to run limited services and no replacement buses are available. It affects Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex and services into London and Stansted airport.
The strike is by the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) and Aslef unions. A limited peak-time service has been staffed by National Express managers but many commuters stayed at home.
National Express had warned it would only be able to run limited services and no replacement buses would be available.
A further three strikes are planned for next month.A further three strikes are planned for next month.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said he didn't want to disrupt passengers - but he felt they had no choice. The Rail Maritime and Transport union and Aslef said their members "solidly supported" the walkout, which is due to be followed by three further 48-hour stoppages in the coming weeks.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said : "This strike has been caused by greedy National Express bosses who have soaked up £2.5bn in taxpayer subsidies in the past 10 years and who have milked every penny out of this franchise, while treating their staff like dirt."
These passengers outside Norwich station said they had been affectedThese passengers outside Norwich station said they had been affected
He said: "Our job only exists because we've got the public using trains. But criticism must be put in the management's way because they haven't taken us seriously at all. Andrew Chivers, managing director of National Express East Anglia, said: "The unions' demands are totally unrealistic, especially in this current economic climate.
"And if they'd got around the table in the last couple of days we could have resolved this." "We have offered salary increases above the rate of inflation, and remain available at any time for discussions."
The train operator said it would be offering some services on routes including Stansted airport to London as well as between the capital and Southend, Norwich and Colchester.
National Express managers say the unions want a 2.5% pay rise, a four-day working week and a 4% increase in the number of train drivers.
Andrew Chivers, managing director of National Express East Anglia, said the unions' demands were "totally unrealistic", especially in the current economic climate.
"We have offered salary increases above the rate of inflation, and remain available at any time for discussions to reach a sensible, affordable and fair agreement," he said.
"Strike action is unnecessary, simply not the solution and I would like to apologise to our customers.""Strike action is unnecessary, simply not the solution and I would like to apologise to our customers."
One commuter, Juliette Maxam who uses the train between Colchester and Ipswich, told BBC News Online: "I worked from home today as if I had stayed late at work I could have been stranded in Ipswich."
National Express managers say the unions want a 2.5% pay rise, a four-day working week and a 4% increase in the number of train drivers.