A key intercity link in the East West Rail project, between Oxford and Milton Keynes Central, will not see passenger trains this year as planned – partly due to a row about “driver-only operation” (DOO) of trains.
In March, the government announced Chiltern Railways would run services on the route. Trains were due to start in late 2025. The train operator says it has been “working at pace to get everything ready for passenger services to begin on the new line.”
But Chiltern has now revealed passenger trains will not now start in 2025. A spokesperson said:“We will not be able to start passenger services before the end of the year. We understand this will be disappointing to people looking forward to using the new route.”
While some work remains to be done on trains and stations, a key stumbling block is what the rail firm calls “operating arrangements for the new route” – the decision to run trains with only a driver.
The RMT union, which represents guards and other rail staff but not train drivers, has warned of possible industrial action against the plan.
General secretary Eddie Dempsey insisted “a guaranteed safety critical second person on board a train” is essential for “performing a range of functions and responding appropriately to potentially dangerous incidents”.
He said: “What is clear from the appalling mass stabbing at Huntingdon is that quick reactions of the guard and other onboard crew in raising the alarm, meant that the seriousness of the situation was fully understood by control, signalling and the BTP [British Transport Police], meaning appropriate action could be swiftly taken.
“We need a clear commitment from Chiltern that they will not make their service DOO and a second safety critical member of staff will be a mandatory requirement for the service to run.
“Passengers rightly value having the guarantee of a second member of staff on their services and RMT remains steadfastly opposed to driver-only operation.
“Our members will take industrial action, if necessary, to defend the role of the safety-critical second person onboard trains.”
Driver-only operation began in the UK in the 1980s. Currently millions of passengers each day travel on trains on which the driver is the only member of staff, including on many Chiltern services.
Chiltern says it has recruited and trained 44 train drivers for the new route.
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport (DfT) said:“We are supporting Chiltern Railways as they work closely with unions and other industry partners to get services on the first phase of East West Rail up and running as soon as possible.
“The East West Rail project is transformational, unlocking thousands of jobs and homes, kickstarting hundreds of thousands of pounds of economic growth for communities across England, it is crucial that services on the completed phase of this programme are allowed to start, and the benefits of this scheme can begin.”
The line will eventually connect Oxford with Bedford (including a new station for the planned Universal theme park) and Cambridge.
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