EMR urges customers to consider making alternative travel arrangements to visit Lincoln Christmas Market

East Midlands Railway is urging customers travelling to Lincoln this weekend to consider making alternative travel arrangements as a result of strike action being taken by members of the RMT.

The deeply disappointing decision by the RMT to escalate its strike action means there will be significantly fewer staff available to work on trains and therefore a very reduced service.   

EMR has done everything it can to allow additional time for the RMT to suspend the strike. However, the RMT has not responded to EMR’s formal offer and therefore EMR has been left with no option but to introduce a reduced timetable.

EMR has also done everything it can to protect services to and from Lincoln. However, it is clear this level of service will not be sufficient to provide adequate capacity for the thousands of customers expected to travel to Lincoln over the weekend and therefore EMR is urging visitors to consider their options.

Customers who have no alternative means of travelling and are planning to travel with EMR are urged to leave extra time for queues at stations and to ensure they have completed their journey by 8pm.

Neil Grabham, Customer Services Director, East Midlands Railway, said: “Asking customers to make alternative arrangements for travelling is never something we would wish to do and EMR is proud to play a vital role in supporting events like the Lincoln Christmas Market and provide safe and reliable transport for customers.

“However, this decision by the RMT to escalate their strike action and target an event as popular as Lincoln Christmas Market means we cannot provide as many additional services as we would wish to.

“We are incredibly disappointed and share the massive frustration of customers, businesses and organisers.

“We would urge those travelling to do so by alternative means, including the dedicated Lincoln Christmas Market Park and Ride and neighbouring train operators.

“More details are available on our website, www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk and www.lincoln-christmasmarket.co.uk.”

There will also be a significant reduced service across the EMR network as a result of the strikes. More information, including timetables are available at www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk and through online journey planners.

Members of the RMT union started striking on Sunday’s in May. In an effort to reach agreement and end the strikes, EMR has been involved in intensive negotiations with representatives from the RMT for a number of weeks.

Following the conclusion of these negotiations earlier this month, EMR committed to providing a full written offer to the RMT by Friday 26^th November.

However, despite this commitment, the RMT escalated its strike action and called strikes on Friday 3^rd and Saturday 4^th December 2021 – deliberately targeting one of the busiest periods in the East Midlands.

EMR provided the full written offer last week but the RMT has not suspended the strikes and therefore a reduced timetable will be in place across the EMR network. 

Outline of amended services on Friday 3^rd and Saturday 4^th December:

Services to and from London

Intercity and Connect services will be reduced by 50%. This is comprised of one train per hour to/from Sheffield, one train per hour to/from Nottingham and one train per hour to/from Corby.  As a result trains are expected to be busier than usual.

Liverpool to Norwich services

Friday 3rd December 2021

Our Liverpool - Norwich services will run between Peterborough and Nottingham only and will be reduced before 0800 and after 2100.

Saturday 4th December 2021

Our Liverpool - Norwich services will not run.

Because of engineering works, buses will replace trains between Grantham and Peterborough all day. You may use our Nottingham - Grantham shuttle trains to connect with these buses

Derby - Matlock

Our Derby - Matlock services will see a reduced service before 0800 and after 2000. Rail Replacement coaches will run in place of cancelled trains.

Newark Castle - Crewe

Train services will run between Derby and Crewe only and will be reduced before 0800 and after 2000.

Rail replacement coaches will run between Derby and Nottingham.

Rail replacement coaches will replace any cancelled trains between Derby and Crewe.

Nottingham - Lincoln/Grimsby/Cleethorpes

A near normal service will be in place and there will be some limited strengthening, including the use of some Intercity style trains.

Rail Replacement Coaches will run in place of the handful of services which will not run.

Nottingham - Leicester (local stopping service)

Our Nottingham - Leicester stopping services will see a reduced service before 0800 and after 2000. Rail Replacement coaches will run in place of cancelled trains.

Nottingham - Worksop

Our Nottingham - Worksop stopping services will see a reduced service before 0830 and after 2030. Rail Replacement coaches will run in place of cancelled trains.

Nottingham - Skegness

Our Nottingham - Skegness services will run between Nottingham and Grantham only and will be reduced before 0800 and after 2000. Rail Replacement coaches will run in place of cancelled trains between Nottingham and Grantham and between Grantham and Skegness all day.

Doncaster - Peterborough

Services will not run on this route on Friday 3rd or Saturday 4th December. Rail replacement coaches will run in place of trains however because of the Lincoln Christmas Market these buses are expected to be busier than usual.

You may use your ticket on board other operators as follows:
LNER - Between Peterborough and Lincoln (on Saturday) and between Retford and Doncaster.
Northern - Between Lincoln and Doncaster (via Sheffield)

Newark North Gate - Lincoln

Services will be reduced on this route throughout the day. Rail Replacement coaches will run in place of cancelled trains.

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